The Darkest Secret
by starlily11
Summary: Sequel to 'Pretty Little Liar'. Serena saw true evil long before she ever learned of her identity as Sailor Moon. She thought it was over, but then, during her father's trial and her parents' divorce, her past comes back to bite her...
1. Prologue: The Nightmare Returns

**The Darkest Secret**

**Prologue: The Nightmare Returns**

**AN: **This is the sequel to my 'Pretty Little Liar'…enjoy.

_She ran for her life, fleeing the sound of the daemon's maniacal laughter, fleeing the stench of death and destruction that lay behind her. She knew it was hopeless, but she had to keep running. She had to reach home, warn her mother, her aunt. The daemon's minions followed her; she could feel the disturbance of the air as their arrows whooshed past her. She had been lucky so far, but surely her luck would run out soon. Thorns cut into her bare feet, but she ignored them. Survival was the top priority. If she failed, her family would perish, and the Doom of the Gods, Ragnarok, would begin…_

_ The enemies closed in around her, the scent of death becoming overwhelming beyond measure. She would surely die. No…she couldn't think like that. The lives of many rested on her shoulders. She had to stay focused, she had to find a way to survive this. She was only eight, but she would survive this. She had to. It was imperative that the daemon not capture her. It was imperative that she make it home and alert her aunt of the danger. The powers of their bloodline would save them all. The minions closed tightly in a ring around her, cutting her off, preventing any escape attempts. Her hands shaking, she raised her gun, ready to fight…_

Serena awoke, gasping, gun in hand, finger on the trigger. The blonde looked around. She wasn't eight and helpless. The Doom of the Gods was not upon her. The daemon in her dreams was locked away where it belonged. Even so, she should not be dreaming of those moments. The danger was past. She should not be dreaming of that. The girl lowered the gun and clicked the safety back on. No daemons were going to come bursting in through the door. But even so, those dreams should not be happening. The dreams were prophetic. The only way she could be having them was if…Serena felt her heart freeze in her chest.

In the next moment, the blonde girl was scrambling out of bed and pulling on some clothes. She glanced at her alarm clock. It was about two in the morning. Somehow, Luna was still asleep. 'Thank goodness for small favors,' the girl thought. 'The last thing I need is the Scouts hovering around me every second. They do that enough already.' The blonde hastily scribbled a note explaining what was going on to her mother as she pulled on a pair of black jeans and a red top. Those items were the only things at hand at this moment; she didn't have time to be choosy. She needed to inform her aunt about this immediately. Once she was dressed, she placed the note on her mom's bedside table, grabbed the keys to the car and drove at top speed, narrowly avoiding getting pulled over three times, and raced to her aunt's home on the other side of the state. As she negotiated an s-shaped curve at ninety miles per hour, she realized that her gun, a .45 caliber, was still in her hand.

She reached her aunt's house an hour and half later due to her utter violation of traffic laws, and found that her aunt was up and waiting for her. The blonde sat in her usual chair and shakily accepted the offer of iced tea. Once her hands had stopped trembling, she looked at her wise aunt, silently asking her what was happening.

"Your dreams began again, didn't they?"

Serena nodded, her face pale but composed.

"I feared as much; the dreams have haunted me as well this night. You know what this means, do you not?"

"I wanted to make sure."

"Malos has awakened once again and freed himself from his prison."

"What must we do?"

"For now, Malos is weak, and must use a host. He will try to take one of us. You must be vigilant, and protect your mother, brother, and yourself. I see that you still have your gun, but you must also remember to put up your protective wards and perform the ritual I taught you to block him from entering the house. If we can keep him from that, he will still find a host eventually, but he will not be able to do the damage he did last time."

"How is she?" Serena asked. The last time Malos had attacked, he had possessed her cousin Adel, and with her power, he had wrought terrible destruction, and utterly shattered her cousin's mind. As a result, Adel was forced to be as a small child for the rest of her days.

"She will never be as she was, but she is better. We must protect her especially."

"Should I also prepare for battle?"

"Yes."

Serena bowed her head in acknowledgement, and left. The sooner she got home and carried out her aunt's orders, the better. Her old nightmares had returned, and she must be ready. She would not let Malos destroy another member of her family. She needed to protect Sammy and her mother. Her father could fend for himself. He had no powers, and he was no longer her father after all that he'd done. He was far beneath Malos' notice. As the blonde drove home, again at top speed, she groaned as she realized she had another grueling day of testimonies ahead of her. Mentally, she made a note to tell Lita to make her coffee extra strong today. She was going to need it desperately.

When she got home, she carefully untangled the knots in her power, and set up wards against evil all around the house. Once she'd done that, she dug out her old stash of crucifixes, herbs, and holy water. She nailed the crosses near the windows and doors, careful to hide them from prying eyes that wouldn't understand. Then, she began to burn the herbs, and sprinkled holy water across and around all thresholds into her home. Chanting prayers in Latin, she set down the strongest protections she could, and tried not to wake anyone. Her mother joined her midway through, having awakened in the night from the dreams as well. As a result, the protections around their home were quite formidable. Malos would be hard pressed to find a way in.


	2. Act 1: Beginnings of a Coffee Addiction

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act 1: Beginnings of a Coffee Addiction**

Serena once again forced herself to jerk awake as she listened to the excruciatingly long, and painfully tedious, speech her father's defense attorney was making. She knew that they had a mountain of evidence against him. They had both Serena and her mom as witnesses, and Serena still had the stitches in her lip to prove it. No jury in their right mind was going to say he wasn't guilty of assault and battery. There was no way Serena could have done that to herself, even if she was clumsy. A fall couldn't split your lip, nor could it leave a handprint-shaped bruise on your face. The blonde gulped down another cup of coffee, and her mother's attorney raised an eyebrow. Clearly, he'd never seen a teenager down seven cups of coffee in one hour. Her mom looked at her in sympathy, understanding the reason.

After the defense stopped speaking, it was the prosecution's turn. The speech on that side was equally long and boring. Serena wondered why the jury wasn't snoring by now. Even so, she forced herself to stay awake, and downed yet another cup of coffee. Even her father was looking at her now, and the judge was raising an eyebrow. Serena forced herself to put the coffee down, and tried to stay awake. Mercifully, the lawyers began calling witnesses rather than just going on and on about legal matters and things about the case she already knew firsthand.

"I call Serena Tsukino to the stand."

Serena suppressed a sigh, and went up to the stand, swore to tell the truth and nothing but the truth, and waited for the questions to begin. She answered them as honestly as she could, omitting the information about her being Sailor Moon and her accidentally setting a homicidal manifestation of guilt on the population. All she needed to do was make sure her father got slapped into jail for pounding on her. Frankly, she didn't care if he went to jail or not. She just wanted to make sure Malos didn't attack anyone she loved.

The defense cross-examined her, of course, but she had been prepared for it. She answered calmly, and she knew perfectly well that this was practically a mere formality. Her father didn't really have a case where battery was concerned. He'd be in jail for at least four months. Even if he got released the next day, his life was still ruined. Judging from the thumbs-up her mother was giving her, she was doing fine. Once that was done, Serena took her seat, and her mother was called to the stand. The blonde continued to consume a huge amount of coffee. Her dad was called to the stand next, but their attorney ripped him to shreds. The court adjourned for a short recess, and for the jury to make their decision. Her father was quickly declared guilty, and Serena sank down in relief, thankful it was over. Now, she could focus on fighting Malos.

When Serena walked into Rae's that evening, she had a Starbucks espresso in hand, the strongest she could get. She was jittery by this point, and found it pretty much impossible to sit still. She continued to sip her espresso. Everyone asked how the trial went, and Serena calmly answered that it had gone well. She and her mom had won. The girl wondered how she was going to tell them about her past. She knew it would come out eventually, and she knew that she ought not to keep it quiet. She'd learned her lesson with Guilt. She sipped her espresso again, distracted. She became steadily more jittery.

Finally, Rae reached over and grabbed the espresso. "I don't think you need any more caffeine, Serena," the fiery-tempered priestess informed her friend.

"How much coffee have you had today, anyway?" Luna questioned. "You had it for breakfast today, and you drank two cups of it before we got here."

"I drank about fifty cups during the trial," Serena admitted.

Amy's mouth fell open. "Serena, that's unhealthy!" the blue-haired girl worried. "What possessed you to drink that much of the stuff?"

"I was super tired; I woke up from a nightmare at two in the morning and couldn't get back to sleep."

"What was it about?" Mina asked.

"I was running from monsters, and they were about to kill me. I also knew I had to tell my aunt and my mom something."

"Sounds like you need to stop letting Seiya take you to scary movies."

Serena knew she had to spit it out, but for some reason, every time she tried to lead into it, she danced around the subject, like her mouth was trying to avoid it. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't just pretend it wasn't there. The last time Malos had been present, the Apocalypse had nearly begun. She opened her mouth to tell them everything, but something stopped her. Did she really want to put her friends in danger? Malos was dangerous, possibly as strong as Chaos. Could she watch her friends die again, watch Malos slowly destroy them should her try to possess one of them? The thought made a lump form in her throat. She swallowed it. Falling apart would never help.

"You're probably right," she finally said. If her friends knew about Malos, they would be dragged into her own version of Hell. They'd already been through too much already.

"Serena, are you sure you're all right?" Luna asked.

"I'm doing fine, considering the circumstances."

"You know that if something's wrong, you can tell us," Lita informed her.

Serena forced herself to smile, and nodded. "I know that. Really, I'll be okay." She had to be, if she was to stop Malos. She'd done it when she was eight; surely she could do it again, now that she'd had more experience. Mentally, she made a note to start doing some flexibility and strength exercises every morning when she woke up. Those could never hurt her; only help.

"If it gets too rough, you know that we're all here, and we care," Mina said.

"I know. And I feel blessed." 'I can only pray that Malos doesn't screw up my life too badly,' she thought. "Rae, can I _please _have my coffee back?" She turned puppy eyes on the fiery-tempered priestess. It was 'The Look', which no one, not even Trista, could resist.

Sure enough, Rae relented, and Serena took a sip.

"We spoil you," the fire soldier told the blonde.

Serena smiled sweetly. "I know."

"And you're about to become a coffee addict."

"I know…would you prefer if I started smoking?"

All of them chorused, "No!"

Serena giggled. "I'm kidding, guys. You know I choke on cigarette smoke."

"Yeah, we know," Mina answered.

"I just have trouble staying awake; you've seen me at school. I'm trying to get over it."

"And you're becoming a coffee addict," Lita added.

"Yup."


	3. Act 2: Something's Missing

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Two: Something's Missing…**

The next day, Serena made good on her promise to herself to start working out a little bit. She started by doing about forty sit-ups, and moved on to do twenty push-ups. She was exhausted by the time she was through, but she knew it would be worth it. Once she'd done that, she began to exercise her mind by carefully reviewing what she knew about Malos, based on her experiences and what her aunt and mother had told her, and taking notes over the information, assessing the threat. The blonde knew she couldn't afford to be lazy and oblivious. She could get away with it if it was a Scout battle, but when it was Malos, it was out of the question. The blonde tapped her fingers lightly on her desk, and kept writing, trying to make connections. She and her mom had managed to make sure Sammy had protection on him at all times; it hadn't been easy to convince him to wear a wristband, but they'd made it so that no one would notice it, and once he'd realized it, he was sold.

Serena frowned over her notes, trying to figure out what Malos' plan was. She knew he'd be going after herself and her family; that was bad enough. Once Malos knew who her friends and love were, he'd put them on his list of targets, too. Could she distance herself from them? No. She'd tried that, and they'd simply held her closer. Their bond of friendship was too strong. Seiya loved her too much to let her go. And she could never hurt him…she'd done that too many times already. The blonde found herself at a loss. The logical part of her said that she ought to tell them. The emotional part wailed, convinced that doing so would lead to their undoing.

Luna walked up, and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Thinking."

"About Seiya?"

"Kind of."

"What do you mean?"

"Seiya is partly in my thought process, but there're other people in there, too."

Luna was quiet, and then she noticed the numerous sheets of paper that were covered in writing. Clearly, the blonde was busy with something. "What are you working on so intently?"

"Just writing down my thoughts."

"Looks like you have a lot to say."

"That's true enough." Serena kept writing, and turned over the sheet of paper she was writing on. The whole left side of her hand was covered in pencil lead. She put the pencil down, stretched her fingers, massaged her wrist, and then began again.

"How long have you been at this?" Luna had been out for most of the day. When she'd left, the blonde had been yawning and stretching.

"A few hours."

"Are you working on a summer assignment?"

"Nope."

"Clearly, you're working on something."

"I'm doing a bit of a psychological exercise…I'm analyzing the mind of a psychopath." That was fairly close to the truth. It was, in a sense, a psychological exercise, and Malos was certainly a psychopath.

"Are you taking Psychology next year?" Luna sounded dubious.

"No. It's just that lately, I've been wondering exactly what caused our enemies to become our enemies, and I've been trying to figure it out." That was really stretching the truth. 'Even so', Serena thought, 'I don't really have much of a choice. Until I figure out what Malos is up to, I'd rather not put my friends in danger.'

"Serena, you can't spend the rest of your life obsessing over this…I know you think you should have done some things differently…but you did what you thought was right. None of us would ask you to defy your nature. It all worked out in the end. You can't change it now."

"I know. I was just bored."

"Why don't you go outside? The weather is lovely, and Seiya has been pestering the girls for information about how you are. He's worried about you. Why not make him give them some peace?"

"I think I will," Serena answered with a faint smile. The blonde stood up, gathered up her notes, and put them away. She straightened her clothes, and left the room. Luna noticed that the blonde had made certain that whatever she was working on was out of sight. The cat wondered what was going on…Serena seemed fine, but she felt like something was off.

**Ѣ¥Ѣ¥Ѣ¥Ѣ¥Ѣ¥Ѣ¥Ѣ¥Ѣ**

Seiya left Rae's temple feeling even more concerned than he had when he'd come. He hadn't seen or spoken with his Odango for two days. Was she all right? Was she hurt? He'd tried to get the girls to tell him something, but they'd all said the same thing; 'She's fine, Seiya.' He would rather hear that from his angel's own lips. He walked, lost in thought. The dark-haired boy quietly murmured, "Where are you, Odango?"

"I'm right here," Serena chirped from beside him. He turned, and sure enough, the blonde girl who had stolen his heart was at his side.

"Where have you been?" he asked. "I haven't seen you lately."

Serena looked apologetic. "Sorry…I had a nightmare before the trial, and I OD'd on the coffee. I've been trying to sleep it off ever since. Do you forgive me?"

Seiya lightly kissed her lips. "I always do."

The petite blonde wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest. Seiya smiled softly and stroked her hair. How had he gotten so lucky? He'd thought for sure for the longest time that he would be trapped in a one-sided love. Then, out of the blue, Fate had given him this gift. Had he been particularly good in a previous life? One thing he knew for sure; he would die to protect her. As long as he had her, he would never let anyone hurt her. Serena let out a sigh. Seiya pulled back and looked down at her.

"What is it?"

"Just thoughts…all this stuff with my dad's taken a toll."

Seiya stroked her face tenderly. "I wish you hadn't had to go through that."

"At least now it's over." 'And a new nightmare's begun. Oh, Seiya…how can I tell you about my past?'

Seiya sensed a certain unease in the blonde, and looked down at her in concern. "There's something you're not telling me."

"The nightmare I had just shook me up." 'Especially considering that it's become reality,' she thought.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'll be okay." 'Something's missing…why would Malos wait so long to bust out…he's got something big planned.'

"You know you can talk to me about anything."

"I'm just a little unhinged. I'll be myself again in no time." 'I'll have to pretend everything's normal until I know what's going on.'

"You're sure?" Seiya held her by the shoulders, searching her face.

Serena smiled. "Positive." 'It's the least I can do,' she thought. 'I know it hurts you to see me suffer, Seiya. So I shall be myself. I shall take joy in the moments of peace I am left with.'

Seiya watched the blonde walk away, and felt a chill in his heart that he could not explain. For a reason he could not dream of, he felt like his Odango was in danger. But from what? All of their enemies were gone…there was a missing piece, but he couldn't fathom what.


	4. Act 3: Dark Days, Darker Nights

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Three: Dark Days, Darker Nights**

Serena spent the rest of the day debating with herself whether or not she should tell her friends what was going on. Her practical self told her that it would help her rather than hurt her to come clean. Her worried self asked her if she was insane; if Malos found out who she was associated with, it would be like strapping a target on all their backs and parading them in front of a madman with a bazooka. The blonde banged her head against her bedroom wall, and paced anxiously, trying to figure out what to do. Finally, she sat down, retrieved her notes from earlier, and reviewed them. What did she know about her situation?

One; Malos, an evil daemon from the darkest, hottest pits of Hell, had been haunting her family since God-alone–knew-when. Said daemon had tried to possess her cousin Adel the last time he'd shown up, and had destroyed her cousin's mind in the process. Two; Malos was hell-bent on killing them all. Three; the why was quite simple; her family had been locking him up and containing his evil for centuries, millennia even. As for how that had happened, Serena had absolutely no idea. No one would tell her. Four; Malos was not only evil, he was ambitious. His goal was to destroy the world, but to do that, he'd have to take a host with a vast amount of power, such as Pluto or herself, possibly Galaxia. Galaxia was unlikely; she was somewhere at the far reaches of the galaxy. Malos was here on Earth.

The blonde began to sketch a picture of Malos in his true daemonic form, as well as her own thoughts on the consequences should he succeed in causing the Doom of the Gods, or Ragnarok. These would remind her of what she had to lose. That still didn't answer one question; should she tell her friends? It seemed right, but she was afraid. She'd seen all but the Starlights die at Chaos' hand. Could she watch that a second time? No, she could not; but wasn't keeping the secret putting them in more danger? The girl frowned, wishing she knew what to do. Absently, she sketched another scene of devastation.

"That's a disturbing image, Serena. What on Earth have you been watching?" Luna was back. The purple cat was looking over her shoulder.

The blonde covered it with her hand. "Nothing; just practicing my drawing skills."

"Can't you draw something a little more pleasant to look at?"

"I'm better at drawing hellfire and crumbling rocks than I am at drawing plants." Serena sketched a fallen warrior into the scene.

"Serena…are you all right? You've been acting strange lately."

"I'm fine…considering my circumstances."

"It's over now, though."

'No, Luna, you're wrong. It's only just begun,' Serena thought. Out loud, she replied, "I know."

"Are you sure you're all right?"

"Fit as a fiddle."

Luna looked at the blonde searchingly. Serena's face was unreadable, filled with serenity. Her eyes, normally windows to her soul, revealed nothing. The cat looked at her sketch again. The drawing depicted a town being reduced to ash, and the bodies of military soldiers were scattered about. The picture was so lifelike that it seemed as though it would leave the paper and enter this world. It made the cat shudder. What could possibly prompt Serena to draw something so horrible?

"Have you been having nightmares?" Luna asked. Maybe Serena was suffering residual effects from the battle with Chaos.

"Yeah…" 'More like flashbacks and memories,' Serena thought.

"What are they about?"

"I'm running from something, and I'm a little kid. I'm scared to death, and I wake up just as the monsters catch up." That was the truth, but with many details omitted.

Luna thought for a moment. It sounded like your average nightmare…nothing to be concerned about. "Anything else?"

"No." That was true as well; those were her dreams for now.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. That's all. I guess I'm just a little shaken up." Serena put her notes and sketches away, and Luna once again wondered what Serena was writing about. Unfortunately, she could never find out, because Serena had disappeared quietly, and Luna had no idea where she'd put the documents.

That night, Serena lay down and took a deep breath. "Dreams can't hurt you," she told herself, and closed her eyes, sinking into her dreams.

_She was eight again, and running for her life. Adel, five years her senior, pursued her, Malos' voice leaving her lips. The sharp edges of broken glass cut into her feet, but the small blonde kept running. If she kept going, Malos wouldn't catch up. If she found Aunt Lisa, she would be okay. If she could find Mommy, everything would be okay again. The small child continued to flee, crying from fear. Where was her aunt? Where was her mother? Sparks jumped from a fire near her, and she screamed. "MOMMY!"_

_She tripped over a fallen rock, and her ankles gave out, caving beneath her. She couldn't stand. Adel, no longer her sweet, gentle older cousin, stood over her. Serena whimpered. She was going to die. She curled into a ball, praying it wouldn't hurt. Roughly, Adel grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. Her ankles throbbed with pain. Sweetly, her cousin kissed her forehead. "Run, cousin," Adel told her. "I can't stop him for long. Go!"_

_Serena looked at her cousin. Her dark eyes were not soulless as they had been. Adel was back. _

"_GO!" Adel shoved her, and Serena obeyed. Malos' laughter began again, and Serena ran faster than she had thought possible. _

_Smoke filled her nostrils, the screams of those trapped inside terrible to hear. The small girl continued on. Where was her mother? Where was Aunt Lisa? Everything went dark._

_When she opened her eyes again, she was trapped in a cave, with Adel by her side. Serena whimpered as she remembered what had happened. They'd been kidnapped by some of Malos' goons. They were trapped. The little girl shivered, and Adel wrapped her arms around her. She leaned into her older cousin. As long as she stayed close to Adel, she would be safe. Adel had promised that she would always protect her. Serena believed that with all her heart. _

"_Don't be scared, Dove," Adel whispered, using her pet name. Adel always gave people unique names based on their personalities. It was her way of showing affection. Her mother was called Lioness, because of the way she protected her children with such strength, and because of her fierce loyalty. Aunt Lisa was simply 'Mom'. Adel had told her that she was Dove because she was so little and sweet, and when she walked into a room, she made everyone feel peaceful._

"_Why did those men take us?" Serena whimpered._

_Adel's voice was soft. "I don't know, Dove. I don't know. But I promise, I won't let anyone hurt you."_

"_I know."_

_In another moment, a smoky black shadow with glowing red eyes was upon them. It had horrible bat wings, dripping with freshly spilled blood. Adel's eyes widened in terror, and she tightened her hold on Serena. "Malos," she whispered._

_Serena whimpered. She knew about Malos. He was the reason Mommy and Aunt Lisa were so scared all the time. He was the reason they'd left Daddy and Sammy at home in England and gone to Alabama. To keep them safe, her mother had told her. She'd promised that they would come back. Malos was really bad. She clung to Adel._

_The terrible apparition descended, and Adel thrust her away. Serena tried to go back, but she couldn't. Adel screamed, and Serena wailed her cousin's name._

The next instant, Serena was awake, gasping, sobbing, and screaming. She was being restrained by her mother. As her mind cleared, she realized that she was outside, and about to pitch herself off of her balcony. The girl stopped struggling, and looked at her mother. Ilene Tsukino's face was white, and she still kept a tight, nearly unbreakable grip on her daughter. Slowly, the woman released her, and Serena looked around in confusion. The dream had been a memory of the night Adel had been possessed. It had been so real.

"What happened?" the girl asked quietly.

"You mean you don't remember?"

"No, Mommy."

Ilene's eyes widened, but then softened. Clearly, the dream had truly shaken her daughter, and she needed to calm her. Her voice soft, she explained, "I've been trying to wake you for two hours. You started screaming, and I tried to wake you, but you sleep like a log. Then, you jumped up and ran out here, and almost went flying off the balcony. When I stopped you, you screamed even louder. Then, you started trying to fight me. That was ten minutes ago."

Serena realized that her throat ached. When she spoke again, she had almost no voice left. "It was so real," she whispered.

"What was it about?"

"Adel…the night she…"

Ilene wrapped her arms around her daughter. "I would have given anything for you not to have gone through that."

Serena sniffled and nodded. "I want to go back to bed."

"Okay. Do you want me to stay with you?"

"Yeah…I don't want to wake up on the balcony again."

Ilene gently tucked her daughter in, and stroked her shining blonde hair until she went to sleep. "I love you, Serena," she whispered. "Never forget that."


	5. Act 4: Luna the Blabbermouth

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Four: Luna the Blabbermouth**

**AN: **Summer vacation is here…finally, I can write in peace.

Serena joined the others at Rae's that morning, and prayed that she wouldn't have to talk much. She'd been screaming for so long during her nightmares that she had almost no voice whatsoever. It seemed that she would either have to be as silent as possible, or communicate with a notebook and a pencil. The blonde sat down, greeted everyone, and hoped no one would notice that her voice was almost gone. No one did. Now if only she could figure out how to make sure Luna kept quiet…the purple cat knew perfectly well what had gone down last night, and Serena could tell that she was worried. She would tell the others eventually.

"Good morning, Serena," Mina chirped. "Did you sleep well?"

Serena summoned up as much volume as she could and replied, "Like a baby." 'I didn't sleep through the night; neither do babies,' Serena thought. 'That's true enough.'

Luna snorted. Mina looked at her, and Serena did the same, lightly pressing a finger to her lips. Luna said nothing, only raised an eyebrow at Serena.

Mina turned to her blonde friend. "Why is Luna looking at you like you're leaving information out?"

Serena just smiled angelically and shrugged. Mina looked at her searchingly. Serena said nothing.

"Answer me," Mina ordered.

Serena mock-pouted and shook her head. Rae, Lita, and Amy watched this display with amusement.

"Come on! Please?"

Grinning impishly, Serena shook her head, and pressed a finger to her lips. Mina glowered at her, and Rae had to stifle a chuckle. She wondered what Serena was doing, but seeing Mina's frustration was amusing.

"I guess I'll just have to ask Luna."

Serena did a jump, and shook her head violently, and mimed banging her head against the wall.

"Say something, then."

Serena began writing in mid air, forming invisible letters.

"Are you considering becoming a mime?"

Serena smacked herself on the forehead, rolled her eyes, and shook her head. She began to write in the air with her finger again. Amy watched carefully, trying to make out what she was trying to say. Lita watched, too, but found that she couldn't really figure out what Serena was spelling. Rae was doubled over, trying to suppress her giggles. Luna simply observed, her impatience rising. Serena eventually abandoned writing in the air, and sat down, refusing to attempt to answer. Luna took the opportunity, and spoke up.

"Serena had a rather harrowing night," Luna stated. "She had what sounded like a horrible nightmare, and no one could wake her. She then started sleepwalking and almost threw herself off the balcony. If her mother hadn't been there…I shudder to think what could have occurred."

"Blabbermouth," Serena managed. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"What happened to your voice?" Mina asked in concern.

"It's almost gone," Luna replied. "She was screaming for most of the duration of her nightmare."

Serena nodded, not bothering to try and dance around the facts. There was no point. Instead, she wondered how she was going to answer the storm of questions that was certain to follow. Rae had ceased laughing and was now just as worried as the rest.

"What were the dreams about?" Amy asked.

"She told me that she was a child again and was running from something."

"Is there anything else?"

Serena started writing, and after a moment, she held up what she wrote. THAT'S HOW IT BEGAN, it read.

"What happened next?" Mina inquired.

I WAS TIED UP AND IN A CAVE.

"And?" Lita sounded worried.

SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED.

"Was it any of us?" Mina burst out.

NO.

Luna spoke up. "Serena, you're leaving something out. A great deal of information is missing."

LET'S JUST SAY THAT THERE'S A LOT OF STUFF NO ONE KNOWS ABOUT ME.

"Ooh, like what?" Mina leaned in, hoping for something juicy.

Serena smiled impishly. I TAKE THE FIFTH, she wrote.

"Oh, you're so mean!" Mina screeched.

Serena sobered. TRUST ME. YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT I DREAM ABOUT…IT WOULD SCAR YOU FOR LIFE.

"Do hellfire and crumbling structures have anything to do with it, along with your 'psychological exercise?" Luna asked.

Everyone except Serena turned to stare at the cat. "What?" Lita asked.

"Serena's been working on something lately; notes, and disturbing drawings. I could never get a good look at what she was doing except for one picture showing the remains of a small town. It looked like a dragon attack."

NOPE. NO DRAGONS, Serena wrote. BUT THE FLAMES SING 'GOD SAVE THE QUEEN' IN E-FLAT.

"Cute," Luna told her. Serena got an impish smile on her face again. "Honestly, Serena, you should know by now that we're here to help you. You don't need to handle everything on your own."

"I know," Serena replied quietly. "But it could take years to explain everything." The blonde was trying to figure out how to tell them everything…some of her information was going to be a shock.

"We're listening," Rae told her.

"Can't we do it on a day when I can talk? My hand would cramp up before I could write it all down, and my throat hurts."

"I guess we can give you a break," Mina conceded.

'Damn, I wish Luna would keep her mouth shut!' Serena thought. Out loud; "Thanks. I can't promise that it will be easy to accept, but I _can _promise that I'll tell the truth."


	6. Act 5: Full of Grace

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Five: Full of Grace**

**Serena: **What are you planning?  
><strong>Starlily11: <strong>Nothing, dear…now go do your Spanish homework.

**Serena: **I'm taking French…

**Starlily11: **Do that, then…

Mercifully, Serena did not have more memories coming to the surface that night, and, by some miracle, she was unbothered by nightmares. She slept fairly peacefully, and never once did she feel the need to reach for the .45 caliber that was safely tucked away under her pillow. She would have to figure out a way to tell everyone about that…Amara wouldn't be happy about it. Frankly, neither would Seiya. No one would, actually. Her mother was used to it, understanding their circumstances. Her father had understood as well. He had no idea what went on in their lives, and he never would. The blonde wondered how she was going to tell them all that most of what they thought they knew about her was fabricated.

'Close your eyes, Sere,' she told herself silently. 'You won't be able to explain anything clearly if you don't sleep.' The blonde drifted off into dreamless sleep, untroubled by the horrors that surrounded her for the moment. Luna stayed close to her mistress, and slept as well. The cat wondered what tomorrow would bring. Something told her that Serena had a great deal to tell them, and that it would change the way they saw her. 'I hope it's nothing too dreadful,' the cat thought. 'She's been through so much already; I'd hate for her to be forced to suffer even more.'

The next morning, Serena got out of bed and gathered her notes and sketches. If she was going to spill, she might as well try to give them all an idea of exactly what was going down. She ate breakfast and got dressed. As she looked at the calendar, she realized she only had two more weeks of vacation. She sighed, but forced herself not to think on it too much. She had too many things on her mind to add another worry. The blonde walked to Rae's at a slow, almost lethargic pace, even taking the scenic route. The whole time, she was wondering how everyone would react to the pile of information she was about to dump on them.

When she got there, she was about fifteen minutes late. Serena discreetly felt for her gun, which was safely hidden at her side. She'd also brought the license for it, which was made out to her. She was going to do this right. The feel of her .45 caliber made her feel less apprehensive, and she sat down. Everyone was there, including the Outers. Seiya, Taiki, and Yaten were present as well. This was going to be fun…if fun meant totally destroying their trust. In a way, she'd lied to all of them. Her innocence had mostly been an act. She'd been pretending to be naïve and clueless, when the truth was that she'd seen true evil at an age when they'd barely been able to contemplate the horrors of the world. She believed in what she fought for and stood for; she'd never gone against what her heart told her. But most of what she'd done had been a result of experience from the past. She hadn't wanted to repeat everything. If only she'd known what she did now…

Serena sat down, and forced herself not to jump up, squeak that it was all a joke and that everything was lovely, and fought the urge to bolt. She faced them all, and was silent. Seiya looked at her with concern, not sure what she was about to say. Amara spoke up. "So, Kitten, I hear you've been having nightmares. What's up?"

Serena smiled somewhat crookedly. "Honestly, there's so much I need to tell you that I don't know where to start."

"The beginning's always a good place to start," Yaten piped up.

Rae groaned. "Oh, crap, now I've got that song from _The Sound of Music_ stuck in my head."

"Maybe after this we'll be singing _How Do You Solve a Problem Like Serena?_" Serena quipped.

"You're stalling," Mina said.

"I know, I know. So, let's see…I guess it all started when I was eight. Yeah, that's right…that's where it started…for me, anyway…"

"What happened when you were eight?" Mina asked in confusion.

"Well, for starters, I lived in England. The truth is that I was actually born in England, as well as Sammy. While I'm at it, I might as well add that my current last name, Tsukino is not actually my last name. It's Walsh. But that's beside the point."

"Wait…you're _British_?" Mina yelped.

Serena calmly dropped the American valley girl accent she'd spent years perfecting. "Of course. What did you think I was, Italian?" All of this she said in so flawless a British accent that everyone knew it couldn't possibly be fake. "Again, let's get to the point, shall we? Yes, I spent the first eight years of my life in England, under the shadow of Big Ben. That was all fine and dandy, but then I began having nightmares. They got to be so intense that I tried to avoid going to sleep at night. This went on for several weeks, until Mum got me to explain what was going on. That was when I learned the truth."

Serena suddenly realized that she was still speaking with a British accent, and that everyone was still staring at her in shock. She delicately cleared her throat, and turned on her American accent again. "It turned out that there was this evil daemon straight from the darkest, stinkiest, possibly worst part of Hell. His name was Malos. Apparently, my family is descended from the Grigori."

"The who?" Rae asked.

"The Watchers," Serena tried again.

Everyone else continued to look confused.

"Fallen angels. The ones who got booted out of Heaven when Lucifer fell."

Mina's eyes sparked with understanding, and the others finally made the connection as well.

"So, yes, according to family legend, my mom and her mom, and so on, are descended from fallen angels and their children, the Nephilim. Angel-human hybrids," she explained. "My ancestors were charged with containing Malos and locking him away as atonement for what they'd done. Malos has been wreaking havoc in our family ever since. When I was eight, he broke out of his prison again, as he has always done, and will always do, until we all die or the world ends, or if by some weird stroke of luck, he dies."

"How do you fight him?" Lita asked.

"Well, Malos himself is fairly harmless without a host; he's basically just a shadow with glowing red eyes and bat wings dripping blood. But he can tempt others to do his dirty work, and that helps him possess someone. He wants someone with a great deal of power, like my mom or my aunt…or me. But we know how to protect ourselves. Even so, last time, he managed to possess my cousin Adel." Serena's eyes filled with a deep sort of pain, and took on a haunted cast.

"What happened?" Amy's voice was soft.

"He managed to possess her, and caused a great deal of harm, but he wasn't able to crush her completely. I was in his grasp at one point, but Adel managed to come out long enough to help me escape. In the end, my mom and my Aunt Lisa managed to free her, but Malos had utterly shattered her mind. Adel was thirteen at the time, but she is like a small child…a backward three-year-old."

By this point, Seiya felt ill. Serena hadn't ever really had a childhood…if what she was saying was true; she'd known what true evil was when the rest were still unable to comprehend it. Furthermore, she'd been through God-alone-knew what, and she still somehow managed to be sweet and forgiving…no one deserved to go through all that. Add this new information, coupled with the fact that she was in danger again, and it was almost too much to bear.

"So you managed to stop him?" Mina asked.

"Mm-hmm…it wasn't easy, though, considering his minions…there were so many…"

"How do you fight them?"

"A loaded gun does the trick." Serena calmly pulled out her .45 caliber. "This works well."

"_You have a gun?_" Amara was freaked.

"I've had one since I was eight. I know how to clean it, I know how to use it, and I know how to load it."

Amara closed her eyes, then opened them again. "You've had a gun since you were eight."

"It's been under my pillow all this time."

Luna let out a loud _meow_. "That thing's been with you under your pillow all this time? You've been _sleeping _with it?"

"Can't be too careful."

"Isn't it illegal to own firearms when you're a minor?" Taiki sounded worried.

Serena pulled out her license. "I have a license."

Seiya's head hit the table. Serena was not supposed to have a gun. Serena was not supposed to know how to _use_ a gun. She was _definitely_ not supposed to have a_ license _to _own_ a gun. Nearly everything he thought he knew was gone.

Serena looked around the table, quietly observing the response. Seiya was clearly overwhelmed, and Serena felt bad for dumping this on him. Amara looked as scared as she'd ever seen her, and even Trista looked shaken. Michelle was trying to be serene, but her distress was visible. Hotaru was clearly frightened, and Amy was shocked. Rae was stunned into silence, and Lita seemed to be stunned beyond comprehending. Taiki and Yaten were visibly surprised, and they were both looking at her as though she'd sprouted two extra heads.

"And you've known all this since you were eight?" Trista's voice was quiet. "You have kept all of this a secret for so long?"

"Yes."

"Does that mean that you knew how to fight while all the while you acted like you didn't have a clue?" Rae was starting to get mad; they could hear the fire starting to flare.

"Just because I can fire a gun doesn't mean I know how to fight. Besides, I would be very surprised if I managed to kill any of the monsters we fought with a mere bullet. Besides, most of the ones we fought were people; that would have been wrong. After Malos was defeated, I'd seen enough devastation and death that I never wanted to see it again. I was sick of constantly shooting at monsters, and when I became Sailor Moon, it was like having an old wound sliced open to bleed again. But when I realized that there was another way, I did everything I could to avoid spilling innocent blood."

Seiya was understanding her better now; it made sense now, why she was so adamantly against violence, why she'd refused to simply destroy Galaxia. She'd seen so much innocent life be snuffed out that she was willing to do anything to prevent that from happening again. Her past, in a way, had shaped who she was today. Despite what she'd faced in the past, she'd chosen to heal rather than kill. Her past had made her into a pearl. All of the pain and horrors she'd been through had done nothing to destroy the purity that lay inside her heart and soul. She was stronger than any of them had given her credit for. As he looked at her, it was painful to realize that the innocence he had seen had been but an illusion, but at the same time, it was as though a veil had been lifted from his eyes. He could see her for what she truly was; a young woman who had been forced to grow up ahead of her time, but she had the strength and courage of the most stalwart knight. A woman who could face darkness and fate with fortitude and grace. Somehow, it made her even more beautiful to him. It was painful, seeing that lost innocence, but it was beautiful to see the jewel that was Serena. The jewel that had formed from all of that.

Everyone was silent, and no one knew what to say. But as they all looked upon her, they could see the same thing that Seiya could see. Serena's head was held high and proud, and in her eyes, they could see a bright light that would never be eclipsed by the darkness that threatened her. She knew what she faced, and she was prepared to face it with grace and fortitude. But this time, she would not fight alone.

"So, when do we take this bastard down?" Rae asked.

"When the time comes."


	7. Act 6: Omnilingualism

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Six: Omnilingualism**

**Serena: **Whaaaat?

**Starlily11: **It means that you can speak every language you can possibly conceive.

**Serena: **Again…what are you up to?

**Starlily11: **Wait and see…

Serena went to bed feeling a strange sense of relief. Her friends knew the truth, and nobody hated her. It had gone surprisingly well. Even so, she couldn't help but feel like she'd forgotten to tell them something. For the moment, she couldn't fathom what. Instead, she lay her head down and went to sleep. Dark dreams haunted her, but mercifully, she didn't wake up screaming or out on the balcony mere centimeters from death. Instead, she awoke gasping and in a cold sweat. The blonde stood and walked out, turning her eyes to the sky. The stars shone bright and clear, the sky a serene, majestic scene that covered all creation. It was so beautiful…

A mockingbird landed beside her, and began to sing its usual song. But this time, rather than simply being an impressive series of trills and whistles, it seemed to have meaning. Serena blinked several times, and listened, unable to believe what she was hearing. Amidst all of the gurgles, trills, and whistles, she heard this; "Light, light, lightlightlightlightlight. Is it daytime yet? No…but the night is bright. There's a sun for the night. The sun is out, but the sky is dark."

"Uh, no…that's the moon," Serena replied. The moon was full tonight. Then, Serena realized that she'd just spoken to a bird as though it could understand her. 'What the heck?' she thought.

The mockingbird looked at her. "You understand me?"

"No way…this can't be happening," Serena mumbled. "I am _not _sitting here having a conversation with a bird."

"Yes you are," the mockingbird informed her. "Do all humans understand me?"

"No…_I _shouldn't understand you! Oh, God…I'm still talking to a bird…I'm going nuts. It's official, Sere, you've finally cracked…"

"No…you're just smarter than all the other humans."

"No way…I'm stupid…everyone says so! I can't even understand simple math or walk across a flat, even, firm surface without falling on my face!"

"No…you're smart. And honestly, all humans are clumsy. Cats aren't, though, and they're mean. They ate my last mate."

"Do you see any cats with crescent moon markings?" Serena was curious. What did Luna do when she wasn't nagging her about her grades?

"The moon cat is nice…she doesn't bother me or try to eat me."

Serena was frantically trying to do a reality check. She shouldn't be talking to a bird, let alone arguing with one. She was insane…how would she tell her friends that she'd lost her mind? How was she going to explain this to the psychiatrist she would surely be taken to for evaluation? How was she going to tell Luna that she was completely insane? The blonde girl backed away.

"Whoa, you look like you might do that funny thing humans do in the black picture boxes. Ladies do it all the time…they turn really pale and fall down. Are you going to do that?"

"Stop talking…I can't understand you…I am not _supposed _to understand you…oh, God, why am I still talking?" Serena went back inside, closed the door, and turned to face the bed, breathing deeply. She needed to get a grip. The girl continued to slowly inhale and exhale, trying to calm her nerves and get over this temporary insanity. "Go back to bed, Serena…when you wake up, it will all just be a crazy dream."

The next morning, Serena got up feeling confident that whatever had happened last night had been merely a fantasy; it had just been a bizarre dream. She got dressed and styled her hair in her usual odangoes, then sat down to eat breakfast. Her mother smiled at her and asked if she'd slept well. Serena choked, and almost needed the Heimlich maneuver. Finally, she managed to say that she'd slept okay.

"Any more dreams?"

"Just memories…well, there was this one really weird dream…"

"And?" her mother prompted.

"I started talking to a mockingbird, and I could actually understand what it was saying."

Ilene Tsukino got an odd look on her face. "It was a dream, you say?"

"Yeah," Serena answered casually. She certainly wasn't going to say she'd been wide awake when it had happened; that would get her committed.

"Are you sure?"

"Quite," Serena replied, slipping into her British accent again. "It was bloody weird, though." Serena cleared her throat again and regained her valley-girl American voice. "It was just a dream. Thanks for breakfast." The blonde jumped up and left the house as quickly as possible. She could see birds in the background, but mercifully, she couldn't understand them. Or so she thought.

"…humans these days. They're so wasteful, with no respect for others' homes!" A female cardinal was speaking, and Serena resisted the urge to bang her head against a wall.

"Quite right, my dear," a male cardinal agreed. "It's a dreadful state of affairs."

Serena ran as fast as she could. She felt oddly hot, and strangely lethargic. Why did she feel so sick all of a sudden? Did it have something to do with the fact that she was almost certainly insane? Definitely…the girl sank down against a wall and tried to breathe and remain calm. Wasn't that what you were supposed to do? Or was that for fire emergencies? The blonde wasn't sure. She wasn't really sure of anything anymore. 'I've gone nuts!' the blonde thought. 'What am I going to do?' She stood up and wandered back home, her mind feeling even more cloudy. She flopped down on her bed and tried to clear her head.

"Are you all right, Serena?"Luna asked.

Might as well tell the truth. "No…I'm not."

"What is it?"

"I think I've lost my mind…"

"How so?"

"I just heard two cardinals talking about how humanity is screwed up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes…and I argued with a mockingbird last night."

"Serena, look at me."

The blonde faced the cat.

Very seriously Luna inquired, "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Yes."

The cat looked into the blonde's eyes. In them, she saw only fatigue, fear, confusion, and growing panic. There was no trace of insanity. The cat concluded that there must be some explanation. So Serena could understand birds…maybe she could understand other things, too. Luna tested this. "Carpe diem," she tried.

"Seize the day? What does that have to do with anything?"

"What did you hear?"

"I heard you tell me to seize the day. It was plain as day, perfect English."

"Serena, I spoke Latin."

"No, you didn't. You spoke English."

Luna was developing a theory. She spoke a full string of sentences in Lunarian, which she still had yet to teach Serena.

"Okay…you just told me that my mother, Queen Selenity, was born on May 26, 5,000 years B.C. You also told me that Darien was a self-centered asshole and that _The Odyssey_ was actually written by a Lunarian poet."

"You're not insane, Serena. I just spoke Lunarian, and you understood everything perfectly. You say it seemed like it was English?"

"Yeah…"Serena wasn't sure where this was going.

"I have good news. You are perfectly sane, and if my guess is correct, you're omnilingual."

"Huh?"

"It means that you can speak every conceivable language, including that of animals."

"So I don't need to see a psychiatrist?"

"No. But first, I need to test it a bit more. Michelle speaks flawless French; I'm going to ask her to speak a few French sentences and see if you understand what she says. Just to see if I'm right. You've spoken to a bird, and you understood Lunarian; I might as well try to see if an earthly language works the same way."

"I hope you're right."

Thirty minutes later, Serena was sitting in front of a slightly confused Michelle and listening to Luna dance around the explanation and simply ask Michelle to speak French to Serena. Michelle looked at the blonde, silently asking her for some hint as to what was going on, but Serena simply gave her a look that said 'Not now.' Finally, Michelle sighed, and began to speak in French. She began with "_Parlez-vous français?_" Do you speak French?

To her shock, Serena replied, "_Oui. Parle-je le fran__ç__ais? Si je suis, je serai choqu__é_." Yes. Am I speaking French? If I am, I will be shocked.

"_Où avez-vous appris à parler le français? Votre accent est parfait._" Where did you learn to speak French? Your accent is perfect.

"_Oh, mon Dieu! Je parle le fran__ç__ais? Je n__'__ai aucune id__é__e comment je l__'__ai appris; il ressemble je sais automatiquement que vous dites!_" Oh, my God! I'm speaking French? I have no idea how I learned it; it's like I automatically know what you're saying!

"You honestly didn't realize you were speaking French?" Michelle inquired, switching back to English. "You speak it like a Parisian."

"Now I know that I'm correct," Luna stated. She turned to Serena. "You're omnilingual."

"She can speak any language?" Michelle asked curiously.

"Yes, and I _mean_ every language. I spoke Lunarian to her, and she understood perfectly. Furthermore, I think she can speak to animals."

"Have you always been able to do this?" Michelle asked the blonde.

"Nope…I flunked my French exam."

"it just happened?"

"Yes…and I am seriously freaked out. I thought I was going insane. I seriously spoke French?"

"Yes."

"Okay…does anyone have any idea how this happened?"

"I don't know," Luna replied.

"Oh, great…well, I guess there could be worse things. Like I could just be insane."

"I think we ought to tell Trista about this; she should be able to find out what started all of this. Did anything else happen?"Michelle was thinking. For some reason, this seemed familiar…

"Well, I felt kind of feverish, like my brain felt foggy."

"Hmm…"

"Do you think I might have something screwy with my brain that's somehow making me able to speak every possible language? Could I die?"

"I doubt it," Michelle said reassuringly. "But it's strange."

"No kidding."


	8. Act 7: The Battle and Whispers

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Seven: The Battle…and Whispers**

**Serena: **You're enjoying this too much…

**Starlily11: **Wait until you see my master plan…just so you know, I have nothing against the French. Actually, I think Paris sounds lovely, and I find the history fascinating.

It was certainly weird that Serena was suddenly able to speak every conceivable language, but after a great deal of fact-finding, it was agreed that omnilingualism was hardly a threat. It was strange, but hardly life-threatening. For all they knew, Serenity had been able to speak any language she came into contact with in the Silver Millennium. Maybe it was coming out now. Seiya found the whole thing amusing; especially when some snooty French woman had been looking down her nose at the lot of them, and Serena started speaking the language as if she'd been born doing so. The look on her face had been hilarious. It was strange, but there could be worse gifts.

As a result, Serena was able to stop worrying about all of that. Instead, she was able to focus on figuring out how to take Malos down. Of course, the others had different ideas. Once Serena got started, it became difficult to pull her away. After about three weeks, they had a system going. When Serena became almost completely absorbed to the point where she would forget to eat, Seiya would cut in and distract her from her work. Naturally, Serena felt obligated to snap out of it, because she loved him. During Seiya's distraction, Lita would break out the food, and Serena would realize that her stomach was growling. Subsequently, she would eat, and then she'd get tired and have to stop for the day. Amara would then drive her home, and Ilene Tsukino would take her in hand then, with Luna ready to physically knock Serena out if necessary. In this way, the Scouts saved her sanity, as Serena would later acknowledge. Without their interference, she would have wasted away to nothing.

Disturbing reports began coming in and were printed in the papers, as well as displayed on the news. Nothing new, right? Wrong. These reports were not, under any circumstances, your average run-of-the-mill reports of perverted teachers, evil husbands, and troubled teens exposing themselves to random girls in the bathroom that come up every other month. These were horror stories; people were being found dead, their bodies horribly mutilated. So far, Malos had not found a host. Serena examined the papers with a serious face, noting the similarities from the last time this had happened. It was clear that Malos' monstrous minions had made their appearance. It was time to hunt them down. Her aunt and mother realized this as well, and the three moved all throughout the city, searching for the things responsible for the gruesome kills. The police department had been notified by the appropriate authorities, so there was no possibility of trouble from the law.

For about an hour, everything seemed quiet. Then, a telltale bloodcurdling scream sounded from a nearby alley. Serena instinctively placed a hand on her gun, and headed in that direction. Her mother and aunt followed. When they entered, their hunch was proved correct. One of the monsters serving Malos was there, and had cornered a civilian. Another look at the cowering girl was enough to cause Serena to inhale somewhat sharply. It was Molly, one of her old friends from pre-Sailor Moon times. Well, she certainly wasn't going to let her suffer the same horrible fate as the other poor souls who had met up with this creature.

Serena saw her aunt's signal to keep quiet, but Serena knew she had to call the thing's attention away from Molly. So she did something that she would later put on her list of 'Top 10 Most Ass-headed Things I've Ever Done'. She slipped quietly into the alley, stood on a trash can, and asked saucily, "Didn't you mother ever tell you that teenage girls are bad for you?"

Vaguely, she heard her mother groan, but Serena chose to ignore the sound. She'd walked into this; she'd have to see it through. 'If you get killed,' she told herself, 'Seiya will kill you…again…' The monster turned and faced her. Serena waited calmly, seeming completely unconcerned. Inside, though, she was wondering what she'd just walked into. Her aunt was frantically gesturing at her to _get out now_. Serena chose to ignore the order, and smiled as she watched recognition dawn on the monster's face. "Geez, you're slow," she sighed. The monster lunged, and, because of all the years of diving out of the way of blasts from various bad guys, Serena leapt up, and the monster crashed into a wall. Unfortunately, when Serena jumped, she also managed to crash into the opposite wall. Her vision briefly went gray. She pulled herself to her feet and whipped her gun out, clicking the safety off. Molly was long gone. She fired, and the monster dropped. Her aunt knelt down, and announced that the monster was truly dead.

"What should we do with the body, though?"Ilene asked. "We can't just leave it."

"Maybe we can donate it to science," Serena giggled. "Like, to my school. Amy would love to dissect a monster."

Lisa looked at her sister, who eyed her daughter with concern. Then, she walked over to her niece and examined her. The girl had a huge bruise on her forehead, and a cut in the same place. Her pupils were already dilated, and her speech was slurred. She turned to Ilene. "We'll have to wrap it up. She has a concussion."

Serena giggled madly for no apparent reason.

"We'll have to take her to the hospital."

Serena stopped giggling and looked terrified. "No hospital," she said.

"It's for your own good, honey," Ilene told her.

"No."

"You could die."

"I won't die. I've already died, like, three times and come back to tell the tale."

"She's entered the delusion stage," Lisa worried. "Come on." She grabbed the blonde's arm and tossed her into the car. That got Serena giggling again. Lisa climbed into the driver's seat, and Ilene took the passenger seat. Serena was in the back, and she started singing 'Macho Man'. Ilene groaned, and Lisa sighed. Both of them knew where she'd heard that song; the male show choir had done that song, complete with a dance routine that had involved ripping their pants off. Both women had spent their share of time listening to Serena drool over it.

They reached the hospital, and sure enough, Serena had a concussion. It was a bad one. It certainly didn't help that Serena kept exclaiming that she was the champion of love and justice, Sailor Moon. The doctor rolled his eyes and began the standard procedure for treating a concussion. Ilene and Lisa were mere steps away from going insane themselves. Eventually, they managed to get Serena to shut up, and the doctor was able to tell them that with some rest, she'd be fine.

"I'm going to wring her neck," Lisa muttered. "She knew better than to pull a stunt like that…"

"One of her old friends was in danger," Ilene said softly. "When that kind of thing happens, she throws reason out the window."

"And she could have been killed," Lisa stated grimly. "I've already lost my daughter; I could have lost my niece, too."

"At least she's alive, Lisa."

"But she's permanently a child! You know that Serena will grow up and go on with her life. Adel is permanently in an infantile stage."

"Serena is obsessed with defeating Malos. She hates what happened to Adel. She believes it's her fault. She pretends she doesn't, but I know she does. She blames herself for everything that happens."

"It wasn't her fault; she was only a child," Lisa said quietly. "I didn't know that she thought that. I try not to be hard on her, but I don't want to lose someone else."

"I know…"

"Her powers are awakening, Ilene. And they're strong."

"You've seen signs of angelic power in her, then?"

"Yes. The ability to speak in tongues is usually first, according to our ancestors' journals. Then comes the healing, the wings, and the angelic flame."

"She's that powerful?"

"Yes…and that could be fatal to her. There are still some angels that seek to destroy the Nephilim and the Fallen, as well as their descendants."

"She has more angelic blood in her than you or I. She is half angel, after all…more than half, even."

"Have you told her…about her heritage?"

"She knows we're descended from the Grigori and their children, but no…she doesn't know about her father…her real father."

"You'll have to tell her soon…before those who would harm her—besides Malos—sense her presence. You know what happens to mortals with angelic blood when their heritage is revealed."

Both shuddered. "You're right; I have to tell her. But can't I wait a few more days? It will be a bit of a shock, and I want her to be able to relax before I drop it on her."

"That's fine; just make sure you tell her."

**AN: **Hmm…this could turn out to be freaky…


	9. Act 8: Gone

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Eight: Gone**

**AN: **For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll give you a condensed version. Read _Paradise Lost_ and watch some angel movies. You'll get where I'm going then. I'm going on mythology, not religion. A long time ago, the brightest angel in Heaven, known as Lucifer, decided that he didn't want to serve in Heaven; he'd rather rule. So he grabbed a bunch of other angels, and they stormed God's palace. Still, God and His angels kicked Lucifer's butt. In the end, Lucifer lost his wings and got tossed into Hell, but his army abandoned him and wandered around on Earth, wingless and unable to go back to Heaven. The Nephilim are their descendants, born to fallen angels and human women. They are half angel, and half human. Got it? Good. On with the story!

Serena had a strange feeling that her mother was hiding something. She didn't know why she felt it, but somehow, she knew there was something her aunt and her mother weren't telling her. She'd gotten home from the hospital and come home to a storm of phone calls from her friends. Trista had seen her little stunt with the monster, and all four Outers were ready to wring her neck. It had taken hours to calm everyone down; even Seiya had been somewhat testy with her. He'd frowned at her for about half an hour, and Serena had no desire to repeat the experience. She preferred to have Seiya smiling at her, thank you very much. It hadn't been pleasant to have him frown at her; it was almost unheard of, and she wasn't used to it. Still, she could see why he wouldn't be too happy; after all, she'd gone and gotten herself landed in the hospital with a concussion that could have killed her. Even so, she greatly preferred his smile. She didn't like people to be mad at her. Hmm…was her mother angry at her, too? Probably…maybe she was trying to decide how to punish her.

The blonde also had more food for thought; she still had nightmares about Malos, but lately, she'd been having dreams about flying and possessing unimaginable power. She knew that the power of her Starseed gave her massive amounts of power, but the feeling of that was only a taste compared to what she experience in her dreams. Furthermore, in reality she couldn't form a flaming sword in her hand like she could in the dreams, nor could she throw someone across the room. It was strange, and Serena had to wonder what prompted such fantasies. The girl plopped down on her bed, thinking. Between her newfound ability to speak any random language and her dreams, and her mother's secrecy, she had quite a bit to puzzle out.

She was rudely jerked out of her thoughts when a flash of light from outside her window nearly blinded her. The girl jumped off the bed, a hand over her eyes. That light was so bright it hurt. Coupled with the fact that it was a sunny day outside, Serena thought it was a miracle that her eyes hadn't been burned out of her head. She was now sprawled across the floor, but she was on her feet in an instant. She might not have been the most observant person in the world, but she possessed enough of a brain to know that random flashes of light from outside were not necessarily normal. She ran to check on her mom, Luna at her heels. She found her mother cornered by a tall, imposing woman with deep green eyes and long, dark brown hair. She was dressed completely in white. On either side of her were two men wearing black trench coats. Both were extremely tall, and they carried no weapons, but something in the air around them made Serena feel more afraid than she ever had in her entire life.

"Where is the girl?" the woman asked softly. "I know she's here."

"She isn't," Ilene Tsukino answered shakily.

"You're lying."

'She's threatening my mom!' Serena thought. 'I have to stop her!' She started to move forward. Luna stopped her.

"What?" Serena hissed.

"These people look dangerous," Luna murmured quietly. "Call the others first."

"By the time they get here, Mom could be dead!"

"And so could you. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if you got killed while I was supposed to protect you."

"I'm a big girl; I can look after myself."

"You usually get yourself landed in the hospital every time you say that."

"Listen; I don't give a damn right now. My mum's in danger, I have to save her, and you're in my way, so sod off." Serena was so cross that her natural British accent came back, her usual valley girl tone forgotten and abandoned.

"Serena!" Luna was too late; Serena had already stepped out. The cat shrieked/meowed in irritation and concern, and she brought out the communicator. "Scouts, get over here as quickly as possible. We've got trouble."

It was really too bad that no one had their communicators with them at the time. The Three Lights were rehearsing for another concert, and Trista was reading her romances. Amara was working on her car, and Michelle was playing a game with Hotaru. Mina was shopping like crazy, with Lita joining her. Rae was meditating as usual. Amy was doing her summer reading assignments. No one had any idea that World War III was about to break out at the Tsukino residence. Luna waited, but no one came. The cat silently slipped away, vowing to give them all a good, long lecture about duty and the values of keeping their communicators with them at all times.

The woman smiled when Serena came into view. "Do you understand now?" she asked calmly of Ilene. "You can't hide her from us."

"Serena, get out of here!" Ilene cried.

"It's no use; we will find her no matter where she goes. The light of her power is glowing bright as a beacon. No matter where she goes; we'll find her…and you know what will happen then."

"Don't you touch her, you bitch!" Ilene hissed.

Serena's mouth fell open. She'd heard her mother curse before, but it was still a shock every time she did it.

"Come to us, Nephilim," the woman ordered.

Wait…what? Serena wasn't half angel. She had only a few drops of angel blood in her. Why was the woman calling her that? Serena blinked in confusion. "You must have the wrong person," Serena said quietly. "I'm not half angel."

"I am never mistaken. You most definitely _are_ half angel; your power is a testament to that. Surely you've noticed some strange abilities…like the ability to speak and understand every language, including those of animals, the ability to heal, to form a fiery weapon in your hand."

The first sounded familiar…Serena looked at her mother. Ilene wore an expression that clearly attested to the fact that the woman was right. She looked in Luna's direction, but the cat was no longer there. She'd probably gone to get help. So she was half angel, then. Ken Tsukino was human…he wasn't actually her father. She wasn't sure how she felt about that. Ken was a bastard, and she had thought she was related to him; shouldn't she be glad she didn't share DNA with that creep? On the other hand, she felt like everything she thought she'd known had been called into question. It was like finding out she was Sailor Moon all over again, except now she didn't even know who her family was. At least she'd had that. And what if she'd been simply Serena and the Moon Princess, not half angel? Would the battles have gone the same way? Did her angel blood affect the power of the Silver Crystal?

"You are a Nephilim. Long ago, the Creator wiped them out. It appears that the Fallen have not learned their lesson." She turned to the men at her sides. "Kill her. We cannot let this abomination live."

"Serena, run!" Ilene shouted.

This time, Serena obeyed. She didn't get far, though. Two of the four men were in front of her in an instant. One raised a flaming sword and brought it slashing down towards her. The blonde ducked, and ran. The other grabbed her by the arm, and held her there in an extraordinarily tight grip. Ilene lunged and attacked, forcing him to let her daughter go. Serena took off again, and Ilene kept a close eye out, making sure her golden haired daughter could escape. She would not let her die. She fought one of the would-be-killers, and the woman screeched, "What are you doing? Go after the abomination! Don't waste time with this mortal!"

In an instant, two struck at the same time, and Ilene fell to the floor unconscious. Serena had gotten out at this point, and was thanking her lucky stars that Sammy wasn't there…he'd be so scared. Where was her mother? Had those people, whoever they were, done something? Tears blurred her vision, and an explosion sounded. She turned, and saw that the house was burning. But her mother had told her to run…Serena hesitated. She should go back and help. She thought better of it when she saw one of the men who had tried to kill her walk out of the flames. Self-preservation won, and she started running again. She collided with an elderly man, and she helped him up.

"I'm so sorry," she gasped. "Are you all right?"

"Quite all right, my dear. What's got you in such a hurry?"

Serena couldn't figure out a way to answer that, and she was silent. At the same time, she heard the woman shout, "Get her! Get the Nephilim!"

The man looked at her and asked, "Is she after you?"

Serena nodded.

"I'll help you. Come on."

What choice did she have? Serena followed him. He moved quite quickly for someone his age. An alarm went off in Serena's head, but she chose to ignore it. She didn't want to die. They entered at dark tunnel, and the man turned to her. She looked around, noting her surroundings and any possible escape routes. A sharp pain in her arm made her turn to look at her companion. Why did she feel so woozy all of a sudden? She sank down, her vision starting to go dark. As her eyes closed despite her command to remain open, the man said, "Forgive me, my dear, but it is the only way…" Everything turned dark.

†**Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†**

Luna ran through the streets as fast as possible. She had to alert the Scouts to the problem. She could only hope that Serena would be able to hold on for a time. The cat shook the thought from her mind. Serena had faced plenty; she could definitely hold on. The blonde was stronger than she was given credit for, and she had managed to defeat enemies on her own before. The Outers' home was closest, so she went there. She banged frantically on the door, and Michelle opened it. When she saw Luna out there, gasping and clearly distressed, she immediately became concerned.

"Luna, what happened?"

"Serena is under attack as we speak; I tried to call all of you, but you didn't answer! Hurry!"

Michelle immediately powered up, and Hotaru did likewise. Then, the small girl went into the garage and yelled, "The Princess is in trouble!"

Amara crawled out from under her car, covered in grease and looked at her foster daughter. When she saw that the girl was powered up, she knew it was serious. "URANUS PLANET POWER!" In seconds, Sailor Uranus was standing there, and running to join Neptune. Trista had heard the commotion, and she quickly joined the rest. They turned to Luna.

"COME ON!" The cat practically screamed. She took off, the Outers behind her. When they got there, the problem was clear. The Tsukino residence was smoking, and flames rolled out of the window. Serena was nowhere to be seen. All four Outers rushed in, terrified of what they would find. Hands over their noses, they searched the house for any sign of their Princess. All they could find was an unconscious Ilene, and they pulled her out quickly. But Serena was nowhere to be found. Amara felt her heart go cold. They left Ilene with the fire department, which naturally had been called in, and then they reentered the house, looking again. When they checked the blonde's room, they discovered her transformation locket on the floor. But no one else was there. Serena was gone.

**AN: **If you want this story to continue so Serena is found, review, please. Reviews make me happy, happiness increases imagination labor, and increased imagination labor means more chapters.


	10. Act 9: This is Bad

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Nine: This is Bad…**

**AN: **Oh, dear…what will happen to Serena? How will Seiya react to the fact that the Outers lost his love? Who's the old guy? And what on Earth is going to happen next?

Uranus cursed. What had happened was much more than a problem; it was a big, honking, catastrophic, below rock-bottom, worse than ten Galaxias, stinking pile of S-H-I-T! The sky soldier was kicking herself for not having her communicator. If she'd kept it close, Luna would have been able to stay and protect her Princess, and she would have gotten there in time. Her Koneko would still be here, and none of this panic would have happened. Pluto was at the Time Gate right now, searching for their Princess' location. The worst part was that Serena had been utterly defenseless. She hadn't been able to transform, and that could make all the difference. 'Oh, Koneko, where are you?' she thought desperately.

"Oh, God…what happened?" The Inners had arrived on the scene, having heard something on the news. Venus had spoken.

"I'm not sure," Uranus replied.

"Where's Sailor Moon?"

"She's gone…and she left her locket." Uranus held it up.

"Oh, _shit_!"Mars was alarmed. "You mean she didn't transform?"

"That's how it appears."

"What happened?" Venus pressed.

"According to Luna, whoever or whatever was here attacked, and she tried to contact us. That begs the question; what the hell were you guys doing?"

"Shopping," Venus admitted. Jupiter nodded guiltily.

"Meditating," Mars stated.

"Doing my homework," Mercury answered. "What were _you _guys doing?"

"I was working on my car…I needed to change the oil. Pluto was reading, and Michelle and Hotaru were doing something. Why weren't the Starlights here?"

"They had to go rehearse for a concert," Jupiter replied.

"Damn," Uranus muttered. "So no one had any idea what was going on?"

"We saw it on the news," Venus said quietly.

"This is great; just great. Our Princess was kidnapped right under our noses, and no one, not even Luna, knows what happened."

"Didn't Luna stay?" Mercury questioned.

"No; it was Scout business and she had to let us know."

"This is bad; can you find her?"

"I've tried; I know she's still alive, but I can't track her location; something's blocking me."

"The guys are going to be back any minute," Jupiter worried. "Seiya's going to freak when he finds out about this."

Uranus said, "Pluto should be back any minute. She'll find out where Serena is, we'll zap ourselves over there and get her, and bring her back safely. Seiya will never know that she was temporarily missing."

"Unfortunately, something is blocking me from that information," Pluto answered from behind the sky soldier. "It's like she's disappeared from the timeline."

"Is she-?" Venus couldn't bring herself to finish.

"No. We would have felt it," Pluto told her softly.

"Ok, so she's alive…but we don't know where she is or what happened," Mars worried. "I hope she's okay. Maybe she got away and she's just laying low."

"But what if she's chained to a wall being tortured? What if she's lying mortally wounded in a ditch somewhere?" Venus fretted. Jupiter smacked her upside the head.

"Don't talk like that," the green-clad soldier snapped. "We feel crappy enough as it is; Serena's been attacked, we had no clue, and there's no telling what happened. There's no need to fill our heads with horrible images when we're worried enough already."

"We need to start looking," Mercury told them. "Maybe we can find her."

"Okay. Where do we start?" Venus asked.

"First, we split up. We'll cover more ground that way."

In the end, Uranus ended up with Mercury, taking the east side of town. Neptune was with Mars, searching the west side. Venus and Pluto ended up paired with one another to search the north, and Jupiter ended up with Saturn searching the south. As they set off, all eight were praying that by some miracle, Serena would be found. At the same time, they planned for the worst. No one really wanted to be the one to tell Seiya that Serena was missing. He would _not _be happy. Luna and Artemis remained behind, trying to track Serena's location by sniffing out her power signature.

†**Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†**

Serena opened her eyes with a faint moan. Where was she? What happened to her? The blonde sat up and looked around. She was lying on a chaise lounge that was upholstered in a soft, rose pink silk. The room she was in had no windows and two doors, and it was well lit and heated, as well as beautifully decorated. All around the perimeter of the room were strange runes written in chalk on the floor. One door had the runes in front of it. The other did not. The blonde remembered with a start that she'd run into an old man, and that he'd said he would help her. Then, the sharp pain in her arm…she gasped. He'd injected her with something; something that had knocked her out. She got up and headed for one of the doors; the one without runes. It was a bathroom. She went for the other, but slammed painfully into an invisible barrier. She tried again, but it was still there. She looked around again, trying to figure out what was blocking her escape. There was nothing but the runes on the floor…

The runes! Serena walked over to the wall and tried to step over them. She couldn't cross. The blonde whimpered. She was trapped. She didn't like this. She wanted to go home and find out why she'd been attacked. She wanted Seiya. She wanted him to hold her and tell her everything was okay. She looked around the room again. The girl knew that she could not panic. That wouldn't do a thing. The room was large and spacious; the wallpaper was a delicate, pale gold. The only thing here was a mahogany table and two chairs made of the same wood, as well as the chaise lounge. She walked into the bathroom. It was comfortably large, and when she tried the faucet and tub, they worked. The toilet flushed. The linen closet in there had deliciously soft towels and washcloths, as well as soap and toilet paper.

The girl walked back out with an increased feeling of horror. That old man, whoever he was, intended to keep her here. God alone knew what he would do to her…she whimpered as she recalled the horror stories she'd seen on the news, where young girls disappeared and were never seen alive again. When they finally turned up, they were nothing but horribly mutilated corpses. It would then turn out that a kindly, bachelor, grandpa-like old guy was responsible for the deaths. Serena felt blind panic take over, and she ran to the door that was surely her salvation, clawing at the invisible barrier that kept her from it. It didn't budge, but she kept at it, tears blurring her vision. Then, she began to scream. At the same time, she was mentally crying out to Amara, Trista…anyone who could save her. It was like slamming into a brick wall. Her cries wouldn't reach anyone. The blonde began to claw at the carpeted floor, still screaming, tears running down her cheeks.

The old man came in, his face concerned. He crossed over the runes as if they were nothing, and walked towards her. Serena, completely consumed by panic, didn't notice. The man gripped her by the shoulders and looked her in the face. "I mean you no harm," he said softly. "This is for your own protection."

Serena's screams quieted, but she didn't stop clawing at the carpet. The man took hold of her hands and told her, "You'll hurt yourself. You are safe here, my dear."

"Not from you," Serena whimpered.

"I mean you no harm."

"That's what all the psychotic killers in the movies say at first. Why can't I get to the door? What are these weird runes?"

"Those runes are what keep you safe. They will keep those who were after you from finding you."

"Who were they?" Serena was curious. She was still scared, but maybe she could learn something.

"They are angels, sent by the Creator to kill Nephilim such as yourself. That was the way a long time ago, but the Creator decided that you and your kind could actually be of some help to this world. Unfortunately, these angels have other ideas."

"I'm not half-angel. I'm descended from a few of the Grigori, but I'm not half and half." Even as she said it, she remembered the words of the angels. She still refused to believe it.

"You most definitely are, my dear. They would not come after you if you had merely drops of angelic blood. They hunt only Nephilim. Surely you've noticed…certain abilities, talents, you have. You can probably speak every conceivable language, even if you've never heard it in your life. You can most likely form a flaming sword…" He drifted into Russian.

Serena understood every word, and replied. Her eyes widened as she realized what she was doing. She clammed up.

"Do you believe it now?"

Serena was silent for several moments. "Don't mothers of Nephilim die?"

"Usually; unless the mother has angelic blood in her. And if what you say is true, then your mother definitely has some angelic blood flowing through her veins. I imagine it might have been a difficult birth, though. It is still risky business."

Serena recalled that her mother had mentioned long hours of painful labor during her birth, as well as needing special procedures to be done. So it was true; Ken Tsukino wasn't actually her father. Who was? Her father hadn't been the only one to commit adultery. Serena felt a surge of devastation. She felt like she'd been lied to; she _had_ been lied to! The blonde's hands shook as she tried to process this realization. "Let me go," she whispered.

"I will not. You will surely die."

"LET ME GO!"

"Calm yourself…"

"NO!" Serena wanted out of here; she _needed_ out of here. Where were the Scouts? Why hadn't they come? The man was still touching her; she yanked away from him. He sighed, got up, and left, leaving Serena to scream and cry herself out. The blonde eventually had no voice left, and could only sob inaudibly. She lay still on the floor, exhausted. When the man came back and carried her back to the chaise lounge, she didn't have the strength to object. She just lay there quietly. After hours of screaming and sobbing and attacking the walls, she had no energy left. She sank into a fitful sleep, haunted by nightmares and fears. After one particularly harrowing dream, she whispered, "I'm going to die in here." And it was almost a relief to give up.

†**Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†**

Seiya was annoyed. Rehearsal had been the longest five hours he'd ever been forced to live through. Then, after he was already hot and irritable, they'd been cornered by screaming fangirls. It had been all he could do to smile charmingly and deal with it. What he'd wanted to do was scream at those idiots to leave him the hell alone. He sighed with relief as he and his two comrades reached their apartment. Finally, he could take a shower and unwind. Then, he could go to his Odango and let her work her magic. He always felt so much more calm and peaceful. He wiped the sweat off of the back of his neck just as Taiki turned the TV on. The scene in front of him made him freeze. On the screen was his Odango's house, lit up with flames. His heart leapt up into his throat, and his mouth went dry. Taiki turned to him.

"I'm sure she's fine," the chestnut-haired boy said. "They'd never let her get hurt. Still, I'll call Amy and see what's up."

Seiya nodded uneasily, and Taiki went and got the phone. He dialed Amy's number and waited. He checked the clock. It was about six in the evening. She should be home. No one answered. Taiki tried her cell number. No answer. A thought struck him. Could it be that there was some Scout business? He tried to communicator. Mercury answered. There were visible worry lines on her face. Taiki felt true worry set in. What exactly had happened?

"What happened, Amy?" Taiki asked. "I saw the news—."

"Someone…or something…attacked Serena. None of us had our communicators on hand, and so Luna had to go drag the Outers there, and by the time they got there, the house was burning, and Serena…"

"Did you find her?"

"No…we're still looking. Taiki, she didn't have her brooch."

Taiki felt sick. He knew what that meant. It meant that Serena had basically been left defenseless. All of them, in letting their guard down, had left an open, clear path to Serena. If that daemon that was after her had been behind this…Malos…it was a frightening thought. Mercury was clearly thinking the same thing. "I'll have to tell Seiya. He'll find out soon." Taiki dreaded it…Serena and danger used in the same sentence was a touchy topic with Seiya. He knew his raven-haired friend was already out of sorts, and Seiya in a bad mood combined with the fact that Serena was missing was enough to scare anyone with a brain.

"I know…we'll keep searching. We'll find her." Mercury sounded nervous.

In as comforting a tone he could muster, Taiki replied, "I'm sure you will."

When he came back, Seiya was visibly on edge, and Yaten was walking on eggshells to keep Seiya from blowing up. Both looked up at him inquiringly. Taiki was wishing he could do this from two miles away; maybe five light years.

"Well?" Seiya asked.

'I hope that, wherever Serena is, she's okay,' Taiki thought. 'If she isn't, and she's in a bad state when we find her, someone's going to die a horrible death at Seiya's hands.' Out loud, he answered, "There was an attack. As far as we know, Serena was apparently unable to transform; but the general thought is that she managed to escape. It's just that her location is unknown at this time."

Yaten inched away from Seiya as the metaphorical steam began to spew out of his friend's ears.

"She's _missing_?" Seiya's voice was dangerously quiet. "How did that happen?"

Taiki knew what the question was; How the hell did the Scouts lose her? He answered, "No one had their communicators on hand at the time of the attack…it could have happened to anyone."

"So you mean to tell me that Odango was left on her own, with a daemon out for her blood, and no one had their communicators?"

Taiki knew he was walking on thin ice. He didn't like the look in Seiya's eyes. As a result, he squeaked out, "Yes."

"Where was Luna?"

"She was there, but she went to get the Outers."

"She was left alone?"

"Yes."

"Let's go, then. We need to find her. And if anyone has touched a hair on her head, they will be killed in the most painful way I can possibly devise." Seiya powered up and became Star Fighter. The other two followed, still keeping their distance somewhat. Fighter was scary when she was in this mood. This was bad. Serena was missing, she'd been attacked, and Fighter was mere steps away from going into a homicidal rage. It wasn't a pleasant thought.

**AN: **You know the drill; I won't update unless you review.


	11. Act 10: Trapped

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Ten: Trapped**

**AN: **Whoa…this story is really picking up. Killer angels are after Serena, Malos is after Serena, and she's locked up in some old guy's house…**Moonlight Phoenix**, it may take a few chapters, but you will get your wish.

Serena woke up to find herself still trapped. She looked around her, wishing that her surroundings were different. Where were the Scouts? Did they not care? No, she shook that from her mind. They cared; they were just trying to find her. They were probably looking right now. But surely Trista had used the Time Gate; why was it taking so long? The blonde stood and swayed slightly, but managed to stand. Then, once she was sure of her balance, she walked around the chamber she was locked in. She could have it much worse than this, she decided. She could be chained to a wall and being mercilessly tortured by some sadistic person who didn't know the meaning of the words 'Geneva Conventions'. Compared to, say, prisoners of war, she had it pretty easy. It didn't change the fact that she could never leave.

The blonde examined the runes again. If she could wipe them away, she could escape. However, when she tried that, she found that she couldn't even touch the runes. So much for that idea. The girl growled in frustration. This was seriously irritating. Normally, she would enjoy being rescued, especially if it involved Seiya showing up without a shirt on, but this was different. She was young and strong, and some old guy was able to get the best of her. That was embarrassing, and it would ensure that everyone thought she was a wimp until Judgment Day. This time, she wanted to be her own rescuer. But how was she going to get out of here?

"Ah, good. You're awake." The old guy was back.

"Who are you?" Serena asked quietly, keeping her distance.

"I am just an old man who wishes to protect you."

"Why just lock me up? Why keep me here?"

"You're not safe anywhere else. As I told you before, these runes hide the presence of your power from the angels who wish to harm you."

"But what about my friends? They can be extremely overprotective; they're out looking for me as we speak. One of them comes close to having an aneurysm if I so much as jaywalk." Serena mentally apologized to her friends; she knew they meant well.

"Your friends are mortals; they cannot protect you."

'Oh, you'd be surprised,' Serena thought. She wondered what would happen if the Starlights and her Scouts were to show up right now. That could be highly interesting. Out loud, she replied, "Don't underestimate them."

"You shouldn't underestimate the Powers."

"Huh?"

"The Powers…the angels that seek to do you great possible harm…or kill you."

Serena had to admit that he had a point; she could have gotten herself killed, or at the very least, seriously injured. "Since I'm going to be here for awhile, the least you could do is tell me your name," she said crossly.

"I am Uziel. Uziel Schneider. May I ask yours?"

Serena decided to play games. "I have a lot of names; I'm Meatball Head when I'm in trouble, some people call me Kitten or Koneko, one person likes to call me Odango as a term of affection, and some people call me a klutz."

Uziel smiled faintly. "Those are nicknames, my dear. Pray, give me one I can use."

"Guess," Serena answered.

"Angel?"

"Not even close."

"Diana?"

"Definitely not. But you've moved on in the alphabet."

"Elena."

"Nope."

"Give me the first letter."

Serena decided to play dumb. "Whoa, that's a bit of a mouthful, don't you think?"

"Please be serious."

"Okay…it starts with an 'S'."

"Sara?"

"Nope."

"Sally?"

"No way!"

"Sabrina?"

"Do I look like a teenage witch to you?" Serena was having fun.

"Silvia."

"No."

"Selena?"

"Getting closer."

"Selia?"

"No."

"Seraphina."

"Heck, no!"

"Am I any closer?"

"You've got the first three letters right."

"Seraph."

"Whoa, I'm a Nephilim, not a Seraphim!"

"Serene."

"Burning hot, but not quite."

"Serenity."

"Maybe in another century or so."

"Hmm…Serena?"

"That's it."

"Oh, good. For a while, I thought you were going to say it was Rumpelstiltskin."

"No…that would mean I'd have to tear myself in half. So…Uziel. You know a lot about these killer angels who're after me; and you knew I was a Nephilim. How?" Serena really wanted to know how this guy knew so much.

"I have angelic blood in me as well."

"Are you half angel, too?"

"Yes."

"Why aren't those guys chasing you, then?"

"I managed to slay one of them; they decided not to mess with me."

"I'd think they'd be out for revenge."

"They were, at first. But I've evaded them so many times that they've given up."

"What would happen if they found you?"

"They would kill me. It has been so long since I've fought that I have forgotten almost all I know. And if they found you, they would destroy you."

"How…?" Serena couldn't figure out a way to ask her next question. "How do they kill people like me?"

"You remember what I told you about flaming swords, yes?"

Serena nodded.

"They would strike you through the heart with one of those, and you would be reduced to ashes."

"So I'd get incinerated?"

"Yes, if that is how you wish to put it."

"Can you please let me go?" Serena asked pleadingly. She wanted to have Seiya hold her again…she even missed Rae's rants.

"No. You are safe here. I will not harm you."

"Being safe is not the same as being free."

"You will thank me someday. Now, I shall bring you some food, and perhaps you can tell me exactly why you are so determined to leave. I t is certainly not a sense of self-preservation. Leaving would be suicide."

Serena remained sullenly quiet, realizing that screaming and shouting would do absolutely nothing. Uziel sighed and went back downstairs. 'The least he could do is let me have something to look at besides the walls,' she thought resentfully. She missed the light of the moon, and the feeling of peace she received as she soaked up the rays of her deity. She sat back down on the chaise lounge, feeling sulky. If only she could find a way to send the Scouts a message…then what? The blonde sighed as she realized that even if she could communicate with them, she had no idea where she was. For all she knew, she could be back in England, or possibly in Scandinavia. She was trapped.

'Oh, Seiya…I miss you so much,' she thought.

Uziel did indeed return with food, and Serena could not ignore her stomach any longer. She ate, but chose to ignore his questions. If she was going to be kept here against her will, she could at least keep information besides her name a secret. She might as well have something that was still hers alone. She hoped her friends would be there soon.


	12. Act 11: Abandoned

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Eleven: Abandoned**

**Serena: **You're insane.

**Starlily11: **Did you only just now figure that out?

**Serena: **Seiya, you can come rescue me any time now…

It had been three days since Serena had disappeared without a trace. There was no sign of her, and the Time Gate was still useless. As far as anyone knew, the blonde was still alive. There was no evidence to indicate otherwise. That was Seiya's sole comfort. His Odango's shine had not faded or gone out, so she was alive. But where was she? They had searched everywhere in the city and the suburbs, but there was no sign of the lively blonde. What if she was slowly bleeding out in a ditch somewhere, scared and in pain? What if she was in the hands of a sadistic, homicidal maniac? What if she was in a hellish dimension, going through unimaginable horrors? These were only a few of the horrible images that seared into his mind during the day, but the ones that came at night were the worst.

None of them had really slept since Serena had disappeared. Seiya couldn't sleep for the worry, and Taiki was either trying to keep Amy from going insane or trying to keep Seiya from going insane. Between the two of them, sleep was impossible. Yaten was at Mina's 24/7, trying to keep her over-active imagination from consuming her. She'd been known for needing to be hospitalized when she had panic attacks. Lita was obsessively baking as if her life depended on it, hoping Serena would come running in and ask what the wonderful smell was. Rae was on her knees before the fire, searching for some sign. But it could not answer. Amara was half-insane already. She was constantly berating herself for not having her communicator. If she had, her Koneko wouldn't be missing. She'd be safe and at home, where she belonged. Trista had barely been seen, so intently was she watching the time gate, searching for a sign. Michelle was alternating between looking after Hotaru and trying to keep her lover from going completely and hopelessly nuts. All of them, however, were praying that Serena would be found.

The days passed, and turned into weeks. A month passed, and Serena was still nowhere to be found. School started, and that only served to bring more stress. The guys had to deal with screaming fan girls and members of their fan club who fawned all over them. It was all Seiya could do to plaster a smile on his face and not scream at them to leave him alone. Amy worked hard as she always did, but she found that she was unable to focus. All she could do was wonder when her dear friend would be found, and pray that there would be no police report about her body being found in a trash bag, and that she was all right. Mina didn't have the energy to go shopping; what was the point if her dearest friend wasn't around to go with her? Lita started fighting at school again, but for a decent reason. Some vicious rumors about the blonde were going around, and the brunette punched anyone who mentioned them within her earshot. It was lucky no one talked about it around Seiya; all hell would have broken loose. Rae spent every spare moment she had in front of the fire, asking it for guidance and a clue as to where Serena was. Amara went off on anyone who so much as looked at her the wrong way. Michelle was quiet, and her air of serenity was pretty much shot. Hotaru sensed the tension, and made herself as un-intrusive as possible. Trista was practically glued to the Time Gate, which continued to reveal nothing.

Weeks turned into four months, and autumn came. Serena's shine remained bright and strong, and everyone had a suspicion that they were too frightened to mention to one another. What if she'd walked out on them? At first, they pushed the thought away; Serena would never do that to them. She'd never abandoned them in the past, why would she start now? Still, as far as they knew, she was fine. Why hadn't she come home? After a while, though, they had to stop and consider it. It seemed to be the most logical explanation, and it was certainly less dreadful than the horrible suggestions their imaginations conjured up. Perhaps Serena had decided she was tired of all the fighting and had decided to simply leave. Finally, on one cool afternoon, Rae gained enough courage to suggest that possibility out loud.

Seiya hotly insisted that it wasn't true or possible, but he eventually admitted that the thought had crossed his mind. Her face stony, Amara admitted the same. One by one, all of them revealed their growing doubt. What other explanation could they conceive of besides the ones that made sure she couldn't possibly still be alive? Was it possible that Serena had betrayed them and left them all behind? No one wanted to think that, but it was certainly beginning to appear that way. Furthermore, they'd been fighting Malos' minions, and even Serena's own mother knew nothing. It seemed as though she'd abandoned them all without a word.

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Serena lay listlessly on the chaise lounge that she had been sleeping in for almost five months. School had started, and for once in her life, the blonde missed it. She missed sitting through dull classes and taking gruesomely hard tests. She'd been locked in Uziel's attic for so long that she'd forgotten the shade of blue the sky was when the weather was perfect. She'd forgotten the feel of the sun on her face. Worst of all, she could barely remember the touch of Seiya's hand, the feel of his lips on hers. Each day felt like an eternity. Uziel was rarely around; only during mealtimes. The rest of the time, she was alone. Some days, Serena fantasized about breaking the mirror and slicing her throat clean open with a shard of the broken glass just to end her imprisonment. But no…she couldn't ever bring herself to do it. She knew that Seiya would feel it the instant she died. She could never let go of the hope that someday, he would find her.

She'd stopped pinning her hair up in her customary style; she'd run out of hairpins long ago. She'd begun letting it flow loose and falling down her back almost to her heels. Her clothing had started to smell after a few days, and Uziel had supplied her with a wardrobe that consisted of clean, well-made clothing, everything backless for reasons unknown. The blonde still hadn't gotten over her fear that he would try something, but he never did. He'd also given her a thick sketchpad and a large box of drawing pencils. When she wasn't pacing or sleeping, or just wishing she could die, she was drawing. Portraits of her friends came to life on the blank pages of her sketchpad, and scenes of the Moon Kingdom could be seen as well. Even so, nothing could alleviate the feelings of loneliness and abandonment that plagued her. Where were her friends? Were they all right? Why hadn't they come for her? Did they no longer care?

Another month passed, and winter began. She was provided with a warm blanket, but she was just as lonely as before. Serena began to wonder if her friends or Seiya cared anything at all for her anymore. Why had they abandoned her? Why had they left her here to go mad from loneliness and despair? The girl lay back, trying to stop the tears she'd been fighting back for months. But her will had almost been completely broken, and it was no match for the emotions that were slowly closing in on her, threatening to drown her. The tears spilled from her cerulean eyes, and she closed them, tears still pouring out from behind the closed lids. Seiya's face shone bright as a star in her mind. "Why, Seiya?" she asked. "Why did you abandon me?" Her voice broke on his name, and the rest of the words came out in between her interminable sobs. "Why?" she whispered. "Why?"


	13. Act 12: A Last Cry

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twelve: A Last Cry**

**AN: **Another chapter for my readers; enjoy.

Five months turned into a year, and Seiya was thoroughly depressed. He'd tried to hold on to his belief in his Odango, but it seemed that she had proven him wrong. She was gone without a trace, and as far as they knew, perfectly all right. But she had not contacted them at all; there had been absolutely no word from her. It ticked him off; it ticked everybody off. Did she not care about any of them? Had she turned her back on everything they'd fought for? It certainly appeared that way. Every time someone mentioned the blonde, no one could hold back a stab of resentment. She'd abandoned them, and no one could forgive that.

One night, a particularly nasty battle sparked between the Scouts and Malos' minions. They'd gotten tougher, and without Serena, the injuries were terrible. Fighter managed to land a solid kick to one of the monster's midsection, and almost broke her foot. Their attacks did minimal damage. The battle raged for hours, and neither side could gain the upper hand. There were several casualties on both sides, but mercifully, no fatalities on the Scouts' end. Fighter growled in frustration as she managed to take another monster down only to have another take its place. Where was Sailor Moon when you needed her? Oh, right…she didn't care.

"Where's your blonde friend?" one of the monsters inquired. "Haven't seen her in a while."

"She's not here," Mercury answered, and silently, she vowed that if she ever got her hands on the blonde girl, she would wring her neck.

"Oh…did she get tired of you?"

"No, stupid," another monster answered. "Schneider has her locked up in his attic."

The monster who had spoken first grinned. "_Schneider_ has her? As in that guy who killed one of the Powers? Yikes…he's crazier than all get out. Why, is she another one of his sex slaves or something? How do you know this, anyway?"

"I was wandering around under the cover of a glamour, looking for a host for the boss, and I saw him carrying her off. And I have no idea what he was going to do with her. Probably. He always had a thing for blondes."

"You're both wrong," another monster snapped. "He's keeping her because he's lonely. Are you both so stupid that you couldn't smell her for what she really is? He'll keep her there forever, maybe eventually force her to marry him."

The monsters moved into their own growling, guttural, impossible to understand language. The conversation was so enthralling to them that they ended the fight and disappeared. Fighter felt slightly ill. Who was this Schneider they were on about? Had her Odango been kidnapped? Was she being held even now? Was she hurting and thinking they'd all abandoned her? She looked around at the others, who had also heard the conversation. Uranus was looking as ill as Fighter felt. The monsters had seemed pretty convinced, and they'd all noticed that their enemies were pretty stupid, and usually blurted out valuable information. It was how they'd survived their battles. Could it be that there was another explanation? If it was so, they had, in a way, abandoned Serena. And what did the one monster mean by 'what she is'?

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Serena once again forced herself to eat, though she didn't see a point. She'd been locked up in this crummy attic for a year; if her friends cared for her, they would have come by now. But they'd left her here to rot. The foolish part of her clung to the hope that soon, Seiya would come bursting in and save her from this nightmare. That part was weak, easy to squash. She could barely remember Seiya's face anymore, scarcely remembered the feel of his long, silky black hair beneath her fingers. The only face she saw besides her own was Uziel's, and she loathed that. Uziel had been kind, but he wouldn't grant her what she truly wanted. He wouldn't let her go.

The blonde ran a brush through her long, flowing hair. It now trailed a little ways behind her on the floor when she stood. If only her wings were able to take her far from here…yes. She now had wings. They were huge, beautiful white things that practically glowed. But because of the runes that surrounded her, they did nothing. She only showed them when Uziel requested it. That explained the backless garments. Serena wiped away tears as she thought about her friends. 'There's no point in crying for people who abandoned you,' she told herself. 'You might as well get used to this.' She again eyed her long, golden hair. Faintly, she recalled the tenderness in Seiya's voice when he called her 'Odango.' That had been his pet name for her, based on her unique hairstyle. It had sounded so sweet…but in the end, he was just another Darien. Darien had left her, and now, Seiya had, too. She wished she could clear her thoughts of him, but she couldn't. If she cut her hair, made it impossible to style it in that way, would it get his voice out of her head? No matter what she did, she couldn't bring herself to cut it.

Uziel came in. "Show me your wings, my dear. Your beautiful wings."

Serena obeyed, feeling something inside her relax as she did so. Her wings spread themselves wide, pleased by their new freedom.

"Beautiful…" he murmured.

The blonde finally folded them again, felt them sink back in, leaving only the faintest wing shaped skin discolorations where they'd been.

"Forgive me, Serena. I know you've been alone for all this time. I am sorry for leaving you alone for so long every day."

"You have to work," Serena murmured. "I can manage."

"Someone as lovely as you should not be alone. But fear not; I will not leave you alone again."

Serena turned to face him, a certain apprehension rising in her gut. "What do you mean?"

"As Nephilim, we are in danger constantly once the angel part of us awakens. We have no time to form relationships, nor the security needed to form a good one. But with knowledge, we can overcome these obstacles. My dear, I have that knowledge. I have been alone for so long; and you have been wilting in here for a year due to lack of companionship. Stay with me, and we can keep each other company."

Even Serena could hear the hidden marriage proposal in those words, and she felt sick. Her friends and love had left her, but it didn't mean she wanted to stay here with Uziel forever. That was the worst thing she could conceive. This was her own personal Hell; why would she stay? Uziel had been kind to her and saved her life, but she had no desire to stay with him. She felt no hatred towards him, but she felt no affection, either. It had been so long since she'd felt anything besides misery and fear that she wasn't sure she remembered how to smile.

"Stay with me…" Uziel murmured, and gently smoothed a stray hair from her face. "You care for me sometimes…and you don't deserve to be alone."

Serena mentally shrank from the touch, and murmured, "But my friends…"

"You told me yourself that they'd abandoned you." That was true; in a moment of utter despair, Serena had bitterly said that. Uziel had seemed truly sympathetic.

"But I miss them."

"And if you left, you would no longer be safe from the Powers."

The blonde girl felt more tears spill from her eyes. All she desired was her freedom; was that truly so much to ask?

"I will make you mine, whether you like it or not."

"I have to use the bathroom," she murmured, and ran to that room, locking the door behind her. Her mind screamed in anguish. She had no way out, and everyone she loved had left her to rot here with this old man. She let out a strangled cry, and sent out one last, desperate scream towards anyone who would hear her. And for a moment, she felt like it had gotten through. Then, she sank down and wept in despair.

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As the Scouts sat around the table at Rae's, they were discussing this new scrap of information. Seiya was feeling like he'd let his Odango down. He'd given up on her, and now she probably hated him. He'd left her to rot in some person's attic, assuming she'd abandoned him. What had possessed him to make him believe that? Amara was ready to begin searching again, and prayed that her Koneko would forgive her for giving up. Amy was feeling guilty for her harsh thoughts earlier, and resolved to find the blonde. Once she did that, she would make sure she wouldn't abandon her friend ever again. Taiki was going through all of the people who had the name Schneider, and had narrowed it down some. There were still fifty to go.

An anguished scream of pain and despair echoed and reverberated in all of their minds, and they realized with no small amount of horror that the scream came from Serena. It was a last cry for help, a sound made by someone who had nothing else to lose and who had almost completely lost hope. The pain in it tore into Seiya's heart like a double-edged sword, and tears prickled his eyes. Even the usually stoic Taiki was unnerved. Sounding choked, Amara whispered, "We need to find her. She won't last much longer." They all knew that; the scream had been Serena's last, desperate cry.


	14. Act 13: The Final Pieces

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Thirteen: The Final Pieces**

**AN: **Okay, let me see what I can do to clear up some of the confusion…sorry I didn't do it sooner.

In the end, no one really wanted to go home and rest after hearing Serena's silent scream. Screams like that were always in earnest, and they knew they needed to act fast. Sleep was out of the question. Taiki and Amy were analyzing what they knew already. They'd spoken to Serena's mom shortly after Serena disappeared, but the woman had no clue as to her daughter's whereabouts, and she couldn't remember anything useful. They also knew now that Serena was locked up in some old guy's attic. But they had no idea what his first name was, so they still had several Schneiders to work with. In this case, more was not good.

Finally, they decided to talk to Mrs. Tsukino again. Maybe she would be able to give them some usable information this time. It was decided that only two or three should go; after all, numbers were intimidating, and that was the last thing they wanted to do. Amy and Trista were the two top choices; both were tactful and had a talent for picking people's brains. So the two went, and knocked on the door of the new Tsukino residence. Ilene Tsukino let them in and invited them to sit down. They did, as getting their information would take quite a bit of time.

To avoid suspicion, Amy made with the small talk, asking various questions about how she was doing, and how it all was in general. Trista waited patiently, recognizing the tactic. It was necessary, even though it was driving them both crazy knowing that somewhere, Serena could be being forced into a marriage with some crazy old man. Amy listened for an opening. It would be strange if she brought it up on her own, and they were less likely to get the information if they took that road. Finally, they had their opening.

"…I wish Serena was here. I know it's been a year, but I still hope she'll be found."

Trista moved in. "There is hope yet; I heard something interesting from my cousin, who is working on Serena's case."

"Oh?" Mrs. Tsukino was interested.

"He mentioned that he'd managed to gain a lead from an acquaintance of one Uziel Schneider. Apparently, Uziel is convinced that he's found something quite special." Trista watched the woman's reaction closely. It was possible that she knew the name.

Sure enough, recognition sparked in Ilene Tsukino's eyes, and a look of horror flashed across her face. "Uziel Schneider?" she asked shakily. "Are you sure?"

"You know the name?" Trista barely managed to hide the excitement in her voice, and Amy leaned in closer, dying for more information.

"Yes."

"Who is he?" Amy inquired. It wasn't subtle, and Trista gave her a discreet warning glance.

"It would sound crazy," Ilene murmured.

Amy was getting impatient, and she couldn't restrain herself anymore. "We know about Malos," she informed her, and Trista shot her a death glare. This could ruin everything.

"How?" Ilene was startled.

"Serena told us. She told us everything. She told us about Malos and what he did last time he broke out of his prison. She also mentioned the Grigori and Nephilim."

Ilene knew she should be wary, but something told her that these two were only trying to help. So she decided to test them. "What is her actual last name?" If Serena had truly told them, they would know the answer.

Both replied at once; "Walsh."

Then it was safe to reveal more information. "Uziel Schneider is a Nephilim," she said softly. "For centuries, millennia, actually, the Fallen, or the Grigori, have tried to avoid dalliances with humans, for Nephilim are the result. Ever since the Great Flood, it has been so. But then, the Creator realized that good could come from these children of fallen angels and mortals. The humanity in them makes them incredibly strong, and they can lock away daemons for good. I imagine that is why Malos has not appeared yet. Serena has the strength to defeat him permanently, and he wants to eliminate the threat first. Even so, angels called the Powers still persecute the Fallen and their offspring. Uziel is one of these, and he has been obsessed with finding another like him. He is convinced that if he finds another like himself, their child will be strong enough to defeat the Powers for good."

"But Serena only has a few drops of angel blood," Amy said.

"So she believes. I meant to tell her the truth, but the Powers attacked before I got the chance."

"She's a Nephilim," Trista realized aloud.

"Yes. I wasn't sure when the signs would start to show, but I knew the time was close. Once a Nephilim begins discovering his/her abilities, their power glows like a beacon and leads the Powers straight to them. I was going to tell Serena about it the day they attacked. I know she wasn't captured; when a Nephilim dies, due to the angel blood that runs through my veins, I know when it happens. But if she is in the hands of Uziel Schneider…" Ilene shuddered.

"Would you happen to know where he is?"

"No. I have only heard of him. I need to tell Lisa about this; she might know something I don't."

"All right. Thank you for your time," Amy replied, and she and Trista made their exit.

"So you have a cousin on the police force?" Amy grinned.

"No. But I was not going to reveal all of our secret identities. So I had to come up with a cover story."

"It was a good one. So now we know exactly who was after Serena and why, and we have enough evidence to conclude that she's imprisoned in another Nephilim's attic, but we don't know where she is."

"But we will," Trista stated. "I won't let some old geezer, half-angel or not, kidnap our Princess and keep her in an attic like a bird in a cage."

Amy snickered. That burst of words had been so unlike the usually calm, elegant soldier of time. It was funny. But she sobered as she thought of what they still needed to do. At least they finally had most of the final pieces to the puzzle.

**Note: **I kind of borrowed the Powers and the Fallen stuff from this movie I watched, but most of the frills are mine. Omnilingualism, flaming swords, and wings, along with runes belong to said movie.


	15. Act 14: Rescue

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Fourteen: Rescue**

**AN: **Another chapter? Whoa…my imagination really wants me to finish this, then.

Needless to say, the new information was quite helpful. The information of the fate that awaited Serena if they didn't find her was enough to cause anyone who was about to doze off (ahem, Mina) to wake up and redouble their efforts. Armed with a first name and last name, Taiki and Amy buried themselves in phone books and other directories. Seiya slipped out and started doing a circuit of the city again. He had a feeling that wherever his Odango was, the place blocked telepathy, but a scream had gotten through. If he heard it again, maybe he could track it. He was much closer to where she could be in the city than he was if he just stayed at Rae's temple.

'Odango,' he thought. 'Hold on. I'm coming.' He tuned in to the strength of her shine as he always did. To his horror, he found that it was even dimmer than the time she'd concealed her father's adultery. His heart pounding, he moved even faster, and used every tracking power he possessed to try and pinpoint her location. That beautiful shine could never go out; it was meant to shine forever, warming the hearts of those who were blessed enough to be near it.

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Serena wanted to die. Uziel was determined to marry her, and frankly, she thought she'd rather die a thousand slow and painful deaths. If there had been any justice, she would have died peacefully long ago. Instead, all she could do was stare blankly at the ceiling, taking no food or water, praying that her misery would end before Uziel brought in a priest. The blonde lay listless and unresponsive on the silk-covered chaise lounge, lost in thought. If only Seiya were here…a single tear rolled down her cheek. She could feel her life ebbing away, and knew it would all be over soon. Thank goodness Uziel was gone for the moment; otherwise, it would be much more difficult to slip away. She closed her eyes, wishing for the end.

If only there were a way to send one last message to the Scouts. Even though she felt like she'd been completely abandoned, her heart of hearts told her that they'd never leave her willingly. Perhaps something had happened, and she didn't know. At least she could send a final flare. Maybe that would bring her an early release, and end this slow torture. Mustering her strength and power as the Moon Princess, she sent up a bright flare that could only be seen by other Scouts. She took a breath, and let herself sink even more deeply into her mind. Vaguely, she heard Uziel's voice, but she no longer cared.

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As Seiya frantically searched for his Odango, memories flashed through his mind. Her smile as she looked at him. The touch of her hand on his face. The touch of her lips on his. The sound of her voice. The intoxicating sound of her laughter. The way she'd stopped Chaos. The way she said his name. Seiya couldn't bear to lose that. She was his everything. Without her, life would be empty. He couldn't let her light die. As he thought this, a bright flare reached his vision. The warmth and power was that of his Odango. The flare was close, and he easily pinpointed her location. He transformed and ran towards it. Even when the flare finally died, Fighter knew where the blonde was. She felt her Odango's light threatening to disappear.

She came to a dark house, and simply burst in. Courtesy was not the priority. Saving Serena was. The dark-haired girl could now feel the presence of her Odango, and she followed it. Her senses led her up several flights of stairs and into the attic. The door was locked. Not that that stopped her. She wasn't called Sailor Star Fighter just because it sounded cool. The leather clad Starlight kicked down the door with a force that surprised even her. The scene in front of her made her see red.

An old man—Uziel Schneider, she realized—was standing over her Odango. That would have been tolerable, if he hadn't been touching her the way he was. Good grief, he was practically molesting her! As for Serena, the blonde was limp and unresponsive. She didn't even seem to be aware of where she was or what was going on. Whatever this bastard had done to her, he was going to pay! With a shout, Fighter launched herself across the room and landed a direct kick. Schneider was on his feet again in an instant. With surprising agility, he sent the raven-haired girl flying across the room. Fighter was on the ground five seconds later, winded.

"Do not think to challenge me, girl," Schneider hissed. "I am far stronger, and I will not let you take my greatest treasure." His eyes flicked to Serena's unresponsive form.

"She was never yours," Fighter growled, and went for her star yell. As she did so, she realized that they were really in a closed space. She could hurt Serena. So she abandoned that plan and punched Schneider directly in the nose. She wouldn't forgive this man for harming her Odango. With that, a fight began.

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They all felt it when Serena sent up her last flare. Amara transformed and ran towards her Princess' location without a thought. She could feel her Princess fading, and she was fading fast. 'Hold on, Koneko,' she thought. 'I'm coming.' Neptune was at her heels, with Saturn joining her. Pluto was probably already there, or if she wasn't, she soon would be. The Inners were just a little ways behind them, with Healer and Maker hot on their heels. Fighter was nowhere to be seen. They followed the flare to the exact location, and ran upstairs to the attic. Fighter was already there, locked in a fight with an old guy who had to be Schneider. The raven-haired girl was bruised and had what appeared to be a nosebleed. Pluto knelt by an unresponsive Serena, trying to pull her out of what was apparently a catatonic state.

Schneider realized he had company, and that was when it got truly weird. Midnight black wings sprang from his back, and a flaming sword appeared in his hand. Fighter dodged the blows, but it was obvious that she needed some help. Healer and Maker came to the aid of their comrade, and Uranus decided that she wanted to kick Schneider's butt, so she joined them. Saturn took a place by Serena. The blonde's eyes were closed, and her skin was almost completely void of color. However, if not for the somewhat sickly pallor of her skin, with her golden hair streaming down to the floor, she looked like an enchanted princess waiting to be awakened. The soldier of death and rebirth could feel her fading.

"Pluto, she's fading quickly," Saturn murmured.

"I know…I fear that she has lost her will to live."

"Then we need to bring her back."

The Inners had joined the battle with Schneider, and Neptune had joined Pluto and Saturn. From the sound, they were getting their butts kicked.

Schneider brought his flaming sword down at a terrifying speed, threatening to kill Fighter. The raven-haired girl dove out of the way again, but they all knew she couldn't keep that up. Uranus launched a kick to Schneider's groin but missed. Even so, it turned his attention away from Fighter. That was what she'd wanted. She didn't necessarily like the raven-haired girl, but she also knew that her Princess would be devastated if anything happened to her. Besides that, she wanted to get a few good hits in. No one dared to use any spells; they might miss and hit Serena. Furthermore, they were in a closed space that could easily explode, and then they would all die. Uranus brought out the Space Sword, and she and Schneider engaged in combat. It ended quickly when Schneider managed to disarm her.

Pluto, Neptune, and Saturn, meanwhile, were trying to rouse Serena. If she slipped away completely, she would be lost to them. Neptune was gently shaking the blonde, but there was no response. Pluto was quietly speaking to her, trying to convince her to at least open her eyes. Saturn was pushing some of her own energy into the blonde to keep her alive. Serena's eyelids fluttered, but she barely stirred.

"Princess, you're safe. We've found you, and we will not let Schneider get away with this. But first, you need to wake up. We cannot do this without your help," Pluto said softly. Serena stirred slightly, and her eyes came close to opening.

Neptune was reminding her of the good old days, trying to stir up the blonde's mind enough to bring her back to reality. A cry of pain from Mars caused them all to look towards the fire soldier.

The soldier under the protection of Mars was clutching her arm. A painful looking wound could still be seen, and Uziel was moving in for the kill. Jupiter pulled her out of the way, and Venus launched a kick. Uziel grabbed the orange clad soldier and tossed her into a wall. This ticked Healer off, and the silver-haired girl attacked the enemy with a vengeance. That struggle lasted about one minute, and she too got tossed into the wall. Maker went after him next, and would have gotten incinerated if Mercury hadn't aimed a kick towards the man's legs and tripped him up. Even so, the ice soldier and the violet-eyed Starlight both got thrown to the side. Mars went for another go, but ended up like the others. Fighter, Uranus, and Jupiter were the only ones who were not unconscious. Pluto and Neptune exchanged worried glances, and even Saturn looked concerned. They formed a protective circle around their Princess.

Uranus, Fighter, and Jupiter locked eyes. A single thought flowed between them, and all three nodded. In an instant, all three launched kicks towards Schneider. They all made a hit, but Schneider only growled in frustration and pulled himself to his feet. He was extremely resilient. This, of course, was because he was a Nephilim. Finally, they decided to risk using their attacks. All three hit him dead on, but the only mark on him was a single scratch. Schneider got a hold on Fighter and tossed the girl into the wall with brute force. Her head struck the wall first, and there was a bleeding cut as a result. Uranus was next, and she was down. Jupiter quickly joined them. Schneider turned to the three surrounding Serena.

"You're next," he hissed, and before Saturn could bring up a shield, all three were struck at once, and drifted into unconsciousness.

†**Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†**

Serena heard Pluto's voice, felt Saturn's energy flowing into her. Neptune spoke softly of the good times. In the background, she could hear a fight raging. Mars cried out in pain. Jupiter was screaming obscenities, hopefully at Schneider. They had to be fighting him; that was the only logical explanation. Uranus cursed, and Venus shrieked, and then was suddenly silent. More shouts could be heard, and then she heard Fighter let out a sharp cry of pain. That frightened her. The blonde struggled free of the foggy haze that had formed around her, and she felt the close presence of Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn be thrust away. Schneider had won.

The blonde opened her eyes in terror. Her friends were hurt, or worse. She looked around. Fighter was crumbled on the floor unconscious, with a bleeding head wound. Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn were scattered about her. They'd tried to protect her. She turned her eyes to Schneider, who was smiling in triumph. The girl looked again at Fighter, and felt fear in her heart. The raven-haired girl could die…she couldn't let that happen. Uziel Schneider lightly touched her shoulder, and the blonde thrust him away in anger. "You bastard," she hissed. "Let's do this."

Serena released her wings, and pictured her weapon in her mind. In the next moment, a sword of white flame blazed in her hand.

"Let's not be hasty," Uziel said.

"You hurt my friends. You kept me locked up in this hellhole. I think I'm being perfectly reasonable," she snapped. "Fight me."

"As you wish." Uziel raised his sword and charged.

Serena blocked the first blow, and tried to strike. She missed, and was forced to jump out of the way. Schneider went for a blow again, and she blocked him. She parried, and thrust, managing to graze him. He didn't appreciate that, and cut into her side. She took flight, and he joined her in the air. She could see the madness in his eyes, and realized that one of them would have to die. How did Uranus do it? The blonde tried to remember as she blocked another blow. Uziel then launched a kick her way, and she slammed painfully into the invisible barrier that had trapped her for a year. Uziel moved in for the kill, and Serena realized with horror that her weapon was gone. She pulled herself to her feet, and dodged the blow. Her wings had disappeared, and she could not concentrate enough to get them back. Uziel brought his weapon slashing down, and pain seared through her side. She sank down, and started to crawl away. This guy was going to kill her. The flaming blade came slashing down, and Serena closed her eyes, bracing herself. The strike never came.

The blonde looked up, and found Uranus standing over her, back turned, Space Sword blocking Uziel's killing blow. Finally, the sky soldier managed to disarm him, and stabbed him through the heart. Uziel crumbled into ashes. Serena let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Uranus turned to face her and knelt down. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the wounds on her side. Blood was spilling from the wounds like water from waterfall. "He got you," she murmured.

"But you stopped him from killing me," Serena replied. "It could have been worse."

All around them, the others were coming to, except for Fighter. The raven-haired girl lay still and unmoving. Serena was on her feet in an instant, ignoring Uranus' orders not to move. The blonde dragged herself to Fighter's side, and stroked the raven-haired girl's face softly. She knew she could heal this. She reached inside herself, and felt the call of her angelic side. She gave in to it, and felt the healing power course through her and into her love. The wound healed, and Fighter opened her eyes. "Odango," she said softly. Lightly, she caressed the blonde's face.

"You could have used that on yourself," Uranus informed the blonde.

"What?" Fighter felt alarm set in. She knew that her Odango had done something to heal her, but what was Uranus talking about? She examined the blonde closely, and saw the massive blood stain that was still growing on her side. "Oh, God…Odango, you're hurt."

Saturn was at the blonde's side in an instant. The small girl placed a hand on the worst wound, and concentrated. It continued to bleed. Saturn frowned. That wasn't supposed to happen. Serena looked pale and tired. The small girl tried again, and it still had no effect. "It won't heal," she told Uranus. The sky soldier turned white. Serena had dawning comprehension in her eyes.

"It's angelic flame," Serena murmured.

Both Uranus and Saturn turned to her.

"Angelic flame can leave a nasty wound, and there isn't much that can heal a wound caused by it."

"Surely there's something…" Uranus' voice was panicky.

"Only another angel can do anything about it," Serena murmured. Her eyes were drifting closed, and her restored shine began to dim again. "It has to be a full-blooded angel. Not even a Nephilim can do it."

Uranus was already formulating a plan. She would find a way to save her Princess no matter what. She picked up the blonde and walked towards the door. Her foot passed the runes on the floor, but Serena could not cross. "What the hell…?"

"They're angelic runes," Serena whispered. "Those are what kept me from escaping or contacting you. If you wipe them away…"

Saturn, who had been listening, immediately wiped out the offending runes, and Serena was finally carried out of the attic she'd been imprisoned in for a year. Fighter watched the blonde with worry. The girl was getting weaker, and her wounds were still bleeding. Uranus pressed down to staunch the flow. The sky soldier was frantically trying to seek out the presence of an angel. She wouldn't let Serena die.


	16. Act 15: Arriane

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Fifteen: Arriane**

**AN: **Warning: If you are prone to terror due to sudden twists and turns, beware.

This was turning out to be a truly lousy day. First, they'd all almost gotten their butts kicked by an old man. Granted, he was a Nephilim, but still… Then, it turned out while they were all passed out, said old guy had tried to kill their Princess. To make matters even worse, the weapon he'd used could only be healed by another angel, and it wasn't like angels jumped up and down waving signs saying 'I'm here!' Now, Serena was slowly bleeding out, and they could do absolutely nothing. It was impossible that things could get any worse, right? Wrong. As Uranus tried to staunch the blood flow, the sound of beating wings could be heard over their heads. Serena moaned, and it wasn't from the pain…it was from distress.

"Come, Nephilim. Meet your doom!" The Powers had arrived.

"Damn…we don't have time for this!" Uranus swore. She'd heard the explanation about the Powers, and knew that if they didn't get out of here, they were all screwed. Still, if this was their time, she would go down fighting. As long as she had a breath left in her body, she wouldn't let them take Serena.

Fighter glanced around them, searching for a way they could escape without too many casualties. She was also keeping an eye on Serena. The blonde was horribly pale, and her eyes were already taking on a dull, dead cast. As she took in their surroundings, the raven-haired beauty realized that they were surrounded. There was no way they could escape. They needed a miracle. Serena's breathing became shallow and uneven, and Uranus locked eyes with her. One thought passed between them…a desperate plan. They needed to create a diversion and get out of here. She sent a silent and hopefully discreet signal to Healer to do something that would create a smokescreen and let them get out. Healer blinked, and bent one knee slightly, then gave a slight inclination of the head. Message received and understood. The next minute, smoke was rolling everywhere, and they were running.

Unfortunately, their luck was down. Even when they ran, the Powers still managed to track them, and this time, they had their flaming weapons out. It was war now. Mars groaned, and Uranus felt sick. How was she supposed to fight and hold on to Serena? She barely had time to dive out of the way as one of their attackers moved in and attacked with the intent to kill. Still, these attackers were faster than any she'd ever encountered, and Uranus had to dodge again seconds later. Fighter moved in, and was soon locked in fierce combat. The leader was clearly the dark brunette with green eyes, and the four men were the ones who took the orders and carried them out. All around them, the battle raged, and Fighter was pitted against the leader, who looked like the toughest of all.

"Honestly, why not just hand her over?" the woman asked. "Look at her; she's going to die soon no matter what happens. Why not make this easier on yourselves?"

"No force in this universe could get me to do that," Fighter gasped, ducking another blow. The others seconded that.

The woman sighed. "You could have just taken the easy way…but no. You just _had_ to make it difficult." She snapped her fingers and barked an order in a language that they didn't understand. Serena whispered, "Oh, no…" She knew well enough what the order was.

"What did she say?" Uranus asked.

"We're all going to die," Serena whimpered.

"What did she say?" Uranus was impatient.

"Move in."

At that moment, all four men closed in on the two of them. Uranus was going to have to do this on her own now. They were completely cut off from the others. The sky soldier kept a tight grip on the blonde she had sworn to protect, even though her logical mind was screaming that this was hopeless. The four moved in, flaming weapons at the ready. Serena whispered, "Just give me up. I'm not worth it."

"Never. We'll get through this, and if I hear you suggest that again, I'll personally tan your hide," Uranus told her.

"How are we going to get through this? You're holding on to me; how are you going to fight?"

"Um…" Uranus didn't have a chance to answer as she barely managed to duck under the flaming weapons.

Then, someone let out a battle cry, and the ring broke. Others bearing flaming weapons had come, and they were fighting the powers. However, they remained on the ground, apparently unable to fly. "Who are _these_ guys?" Uranus wondered.

"The Fallen." Serena was smiling. "They're on our side."

Finally, the Powers were forced to retreat, and the battle was over. One of their rescuers, a woman, walked over. Serena grinned. "Hey, Arriane," she greeted.

"Hey, Sere. I see you ran into the Powers."

"Yeah, and I also got locked up in Uziel Schneider's attic. My friends got me out, though. Still, he managed to get me a few times." Serena grimaced.

Arriane looked at the wounds. "I'll take care of those for you, if your friend will let me." She looked at Uranus, who was eyeing her suspiciously.

"She's fine, Uranus," Serena whispered. "She's an old friend."

Uranus gently set the blonde down, and Arriane gently probed the wounds. Then, she pressed a hand to them, the other hand holding a silver amulet with a rune etched onto it. "To keep the Powers from sensing the healing magic," Arriane explained to Uranus. She turned her attention back to Serena. "You'll need one. It should keep the Powers off your ass as long as you don't do something big and flashy." She handed Serena a pendant with the same rune etched on it. The blonde's injuries were quickly healing, and she already looked stronger.

Now realizing that her Princess was safe, Uranus turned to find the others. Neptune was having a wound tended by another Fallen, and Mars had having her injured arm tended to as well. The others were clustered together, talking. Uranus walked over. Fighter asked, "Is she all right?"

"Yeah. An old friend of hers is taking care of those wounds."

"This whole thing is sheer good luck," Venus stated. "I thought we were screwed; especially when they closed in on you two."

"_I _thought it was over," Uranus admitted. "Serena was trying to convince me to just hand her over. I told her that if she suggested that again I'd kick her butt."

"So she'll be all right?" Mercury asked.

"Yeah. Here she comes now."

Sure enough, Serena, fully healed, was heading their way. The only indication that she'd been injured at all was the blood staining her clothing. She waved to several of their rescuers, smiled and said a kind word or two to some, and finally reached them. Fighter pulled her into a hug, which Serena was perfectly happy to return. Actually, she was content to remain in the embrace, and stayed that way until Uranus cleared her throat. Serena giggled, and everyone received a hug, courtesy of Serena. "Dang, I think I forgot how great it was to take a breath of fresh air!" she exclaimed. "I missed seeing the sky."

"So you spent a year stuck in that attic? You couldn't even go look out a window?" Venus was freaked out. "How did you stay sane?"

"I just tried to remember the good times and prayed that I'd get out of there someday. Sometimes, it was hard."

"Did Uziel…?" Fighter stopped, unsure of how to put it delicately. They all paused at that, having not considered that particular gruesome possibility.

"No, he didn't. He never hurt me until the end, when he was about to kill me. I could have had it a lot worse. The place was heated, had a bathroom, and I got fed three times a day. It's just that I had nothing to do. He was kind, for the most part. I just couldn't leave."

Everyone relaxed.

"So tell me, what do you think of how completely screwed up my family is? I mean, most of us are descended from fallen angels, we've got a daemon out for our blood, and I'm half angel."

"It's certainly a new way to see things," Mercury answered.

"And, according to the Powers, the angels that were trying to kill me a few minutes ago, I'm an abomination."

"Why?" Venus was confused.

"Well, angels aren't really supposed to…_canoodle _with humans. When they do, Nephilim result (me), and if the mother doesn't have angel blood…it's like a death sentence for the mother, basically. It's a forbidden union."

"So let me get this straight. The Powers want to kill you just for being born?"

"Yes." Arriane had come up. "And they _hate _the Fallen. The first time it happened, and the mother died, we thought it was an accident, but it kept happening, so we tried to stop. That, and the Creator flooded the Earth. Since then, the Powers have been hunting us, and our offspring. It's wrong, and the Creator decided that the Nephilim could do some good, but the Powers are still on their outdated mission."

"Yeah. Most of them split as soon as we're born," Serena added. "I can't exactly blame them, though. If you're a fallen angel, and you advertise that you've become a daddy, the Powers will be on you before you know it." The blonde's voice held no bitterness.

"Exactly. Most of us can fight the Powers off if we need to, but it's still rough. Besides, if we stay away, the Powers are less likely to find our kids until the time comes. Then, it's kind of up to fate to decide what happens. We try to stop a Nephilim from being killed when we can, but sometimes, we just can't make it." Arriane was looking around, as if expecting the Powers to show up again.

"Thanks for coming," Serena said. "We would have been goners."

"Shoot, I've known you since you were a baby. I'd never let those jerks get you. That, and Lisa would throttle me."

"Yeah…she's nearly throttled me a few times."

Someone called out to Arriane, and she smiled. "Now, kiddo, you'd better get moving. The Powers will eventually come back, and you don't want to have two run-ins on one day. Tell your aunt and your mom I said hi."

"Will do. Come on, let's go."

Since none of them really wanted to fight the Powers again, they all slipped away quickly, and de-transformed. Serena came home to lots of hugs from her mom, and even her aunt had some hugs to spare. Then, the blonde got to take a shower and get out of her torn, stained clothing. Once she was clean and dry again, she had to sit down and explain to her mom exactly what had happened, and that started another storm of hugs, etc. 'It's good to be home,' Serena thought.


	17. Act 16: Taken

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Sixteen: Taken**

**AN: **The title should be warning enough…

Serena reveled in the feel of the sun on her face and the sight of the sky. No one blamed her; after all, the girl had been stuck in an attic with some nut job as her jailer. Finally, the blonde was able to relax and accept the fact that she was really and truly free, and she lay down on her bed—oh, God, she'd forgotten how much better a bed was than a chaise lounge!—and went to sleep. Almost immediately, the nightmares began again. They were more horrifically vivid than she'd remembered. The girl woke up in a cold sweat, gasping. This dream had been the worst she'd had yet. Her mother came in shortly, her face troubled.

"Did you…?" Ilene began.

"Yes." Serena's face was pale.

"We need to tell Lisa…"

Serena nodded, but her face was suddenly void of color.

"It _won't _end like that," Ilene told her daughter firmly. "You mustn't think like that." Somehow, she knew what was going through the blonde's mind.

"I can't help it…" Serena shuddered. Luna was listening intently, trying to piece together what the two were talking about. For some reason, this particular nightmare had Serena truly shaken.

Ilene's eyes were sympathetic. "I know…but I won't let it end like last time. She won't end up like Adel…"

Oh…Luna was realizing where this was going. Serena had explained what had happened to her cousin, but something told her that there was more to it than what she'd told them. There was more to that story, but it was obvious that the blonde looked back on that with pain, and Luna didn't wish to open old wounds. Serena would tell her when she was ready. The cat continued to listen.

"It was my fault he got Adel in the first place," Serena murmured.

"That isn't true. You couldn't have stopped it…"

"Yes, I could have. If I hadn't been such a coward…"

"You were only _eight_! You were in a situation that, by all rights, you should never have been forced to deal with! You were scared; anyone in their right mind would have been! _I _would have been scared!"

"You don't get it, do you? It should have been me!" Serena was suddenly screaming, her voice more impassioned than Luna had ever heard. "Malos went for _me_! If I hadn't run like a coward, Adel would have been spared! She wouldn't be a prisoner of her own mind! Aunt Lisa wouldn't have to spend every spare moment worrying!" Tears were spilling from the blonde's eyes.

"You would have died," Ilene said softly. "You are half angel, possibly more than that. If Malos had taken possession of you, the angel half of you would have rebelled, and the resulting internal battle would have killed you."

Luna was putting the pieces together. Serena seemed to have a raging case of survivor's guilt. For some reason, she was convinced that she was responsible for what had happened to her cousin. Furthermore, she'd carried that guilt for six years. Serena believed that because she hadn't stayed with her cousin, she'd sent her to her doom. The truth was that she would have died, or at the very least been seriously injured. What on Earth made her believe that it was her fault that Malos had gotten her cousin? She'd only been eight years old…there was no way she could have been able to do anything.

"It's my fault we were even taken in the first place. If that hadn't happened, Adel would have been okay."

"How on Earth was it your fault?"

"If I hadn't gotten scared when we were fighting that one monster and run, Adel wouldn't have had to come after me. I was a coward…my cowardice is what got us into the whole mess."

"That creature left several dismembered civilians in its wake…and you got scared. You'd only just learned to use a gun; that was no place for you to be…neither Lisa nor I really wanted to bring either of you to that battle. But we felt that it was safer to keep you two close."

"And I panicked and ran right into Malos' trap. Adel knew I was scared and she went after me to protect me. If I hadn't run, she wouldn't have followed, and Malos wouldn't have captured us." Serena's eyes held an intense wretchedness in them.

"Serena…you were only a child. No one blames you for running. Adel wouldn't want you to do this. She loved you…still does. After…when we freed her, the last words before she collapsed were about you. She was terrified that Malos had harmed you. There were no words about herself. All she mentioned was you."

Serena was quiet. "We need to check on Aunt Lisa," she finally murmured.

"We will. Get dressed, and we'll go."

As it turned out, Serena had been sleeping in her clothes, anyway. 'Just in case,' she'd said. Ilene Tsukino and her daughter immediately got into the car and drove as fast as the car could go to Lisa's home. As soon as they arrived, it was clear that something had happened. The house appeared to have been ransacked, and the defenses meant to keep Malos at bay were gone. There had clearly been some kind of a struggle. Ilene ran in, calling her sister's name. Serena, her heart going cold, followed, but she was searching for Adel. What if Malos' minions had killed her? The blonde searched the house, both watching for the enemy, and searching for her loved ones. "Adel?" she called softly.

A faint whimpering sound from a linen closet got her attention, and Serena approached it, one hand on her gun. She flung the door open, and a tall, dark brunette with cerulean eyes was huddled inside, whimpering quietly. Serena lowered the gun. It was Adel. The blonde knelt down and lightly touched her cousin's arm. "Adel, it's me," she murmured.

"Dove…" the scared young woman whispered, in a surprisingly childlike voice for a girl her age.

Serena felt a sharp pain in her heart at the sound of her old nickname. But she kept her voice sweetly gentle as she replied, "Yes, it's your Dove. Can you tell me where Aunt Lisa is? I want to find her."

Adel whimpered, and tears spilled from her eyes. "Gone."

"Was it Malos?"

Adel nodded, and Serena thought, 'Oh, God…how am I going to tell Mom?' Ilene was still searching for her sister. How was Serena supposed to tell her that Lisa was gone, taken by Malos? Adel was crying now, and Serena pulled her older cousin into her arms, making soothing noises, while frantically trying to puzzle out what to do next. "Are you hurt?" Serena asked, still keeping her voice gentle, like she would with a small child. After all, her cousin's mind was like that of a three-year old, with only bursts of who she used to be.

"No…" was the soft answer.

"All right. Will you come with me? We need to find Mom."

Adel nodded, and Serena stood up, taking her cousin's hand. Adel understood the signal, and obediently followed the blonde, holding tightly to her hand. 'I'm so sorry, Adel,' Serena thought, agonized. She wasn't sure what she was apologizing for; her aunt's being taken by Malos, or her act of cowardice all those years ago. The two girls walked, searching for Ilene. They finally found her in what was left of the kitchen, staring blankly at the wall. Serena, with Adel's hand still in hers, walked over, and with her other hand touched her mother's shoulder.

"She's gone, isn't she." It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"Yeah," Serena answered. "But Adel's still here."

That brought Ilene out of her shock. She looked softly at Adel. "I guess we'll take care of you now, until your Mum comes back," she said gently, her voice automatically sliding into its natural British accent. "Would that be all right?"

Adel nodded.

"We'll get her back," Serena said gently, her voice slipping into its British accent as well.

The drive home was made in silence, but still quickly. Serena gave Luna a look that ordered her to save the questions for a later date, and tucked Adel into her own bed, then started to lay down on the floor. Adel looked at her in a way that said that she didn't want to be alone, so Serena joined her. She wrapped her arms around her cousin. "All right…I won't leave you alone," Serena whispered, her British accent still present. Adel eventually dozed off, but her cousin remained awake.

'I won't let Malos get away with this,' she thought. 'I'll get Aunt Lisa back and save her, and I'll find some way to help Adel.' But how would she do that? The blonde thought hard, but came up with nothing in her tired, depressed, frightened state. She vowed that she wouldn't abandon Adel again. She'd already done that once; why do it twice? How would she get her aunt back? Lisa had been taken by Malos, most likely to use as a host. The Doom of the Gods would begin soon now…they had to stop it, and Serena was determined to do it without killing one of the people she loved. All she had to do was force Malos out of her aunt, and to make sure that he never returned. The latter would be the most difficult…and she would also have to do it while looking after Adel. Adel had looked after her and protected her when she was helpless; now it was time for Serena to return the favor.


	18. Act 17: Confrontations

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Seventeen: Confrontations**

**AN: **Whoa…this story is really picking up.

The next morning, Serena handed Adel over to Ilene, and said she would be in the basement if someone needed her. The blond went down those stairs, punched in the code to a door, and immediately entered a shooting range, where she could hone her skills with a gun. She rarely used it for anything but stress relief. For some reason, shooting cardboard monsters helped her unwind. Despite the fact that it was meant to help relieve stress, she was at the level of a well-trained sniper. Vaguely, she wondered if she should mention that to Seiya. Nah…he didn't need to know _everything_. The blonde moved from her usual .45 caliber to a rifle. She might as well train for that…who knew when she would need to use whatever was available? The ammo in her caliber wouldn't last forever, and then she would have to switch to a rifle, as that was the only other gun that would be available to her on short notice. The girl fired the gun again, instantly killing another practice monster.

Eventually, the blonde left the basement, her hands black with gunpowder. Coolly, she washed them, ignoring the worried look on Luna's face. It took three washings before there wasn't a trace of the stuff left on her hands. Finally, after having spent thirty minutes feeling Luna's stare digging into her, she turned and asked, "Is something wrong?" Her natural British accent had completely taken over, and her tone was deathly calm. Luna could sense the blonde's surprisingly well-hidden distress.

"What happened, Serena?" Luna asked.

Serena's eyes darkened. "The situation's gotten worse," she answered grimly. "Malos has taken a host."

"Who?" Luna knew well enough what this meant, but she wondered who it was nonetheless.

"My aunt."

"Was that girl last night your cousin?"

"Yes. That was Adel."

"You need to tell the Scouts."

"That is my intention."

†**Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†**

'Oh, God…,' was the blonde's first thought when she entered Rae's temple. Her second thought was; 'Cool it, Serena. Remain calm, and for the love of God, don't let him see your gun!' Apparently, Malos had decided to attack first. Everyone was being held hostage, with her now-possessed Aunt Lisa in charge of several huge monsters. The blonde could already see that she would have quite a fight. But first, she needed to enter and assess the situation. In the name of self-preservation, it was imperative that she make sure that her gun was out of sight. Otherwise, she would end up with a bullet going through her skull and obliterating her brain. So she did what she'd been trained to do at the age of eight.

Her face cool and composed, with no visible emotions showing, the blonde calmly stepped into Malos' view. Casually, she leaned against a wall and focused her gaze on the enemy. She could hear gasps from her friends, held captive by Malos, but she gave no indication of having heard them. Instead, she folded her arms across her chest and said, "Judging from our location and your current plan of action, you're trying to get my attention. Congratulations; you succeeded." Her British accent was still there, and her tone held no detectable emotion, simply the same flat, matter-of-fact tone of someone would use to tell a neighbor where the spare key to their house was.

"So you're done hiding?"

"Who says I was hiding? I prefer to say I was waiting."

"Are you so eager to die?"

"If it's my time, it's my time. But if you truly wanted to kill me immediately, you would have done it a long time ago. But you're awfully hesitant."

"You're a fool. Your friends are held captive, you are outnumbered, and you came in here without a weapon."

"What do you want, Malos? Your original plan was to destroy the world; but you've got another thing in mind this time. Otherwise, you would have eliminated me several months ago."

"Join me."

Serena was utterly shocked, but somehow, she managed to keep up the cool, unfazed expression on her face. "Why on Earth would I do that?" She had to keep Malos talking; he meant business, and if she didn't do something fast, her friends would suffer great harm. How many of the monsters could she take out in sixty seconds? That was the maximum amount of time she would have once she revealed her gun. Nowhere near enough, she decided. Even if she had a bazooka and shot as fast as she could, she still wouldn't be able to take out enough of them. She needed to come up with a plan.

"It would save your friends a great deal of pain. I would even let them go."

"How about you release them now, and we discuss this in a rational manner?" Serena didn't dare look at her friends; she knew they were probably in a state of shock, and the expressions on their faces were probably horrified. She couldn't afford to get distracted.

"You mean you might actually consider it?"

"I refuse to discuss my decision until I have reached one. Now, will you release them? Your creature's swords are too close to my friends' throats for comfort. It is quite distracting, and distraction makes it impossible to make a wise choice."

Malos grunted, but gave the order. At the same time, Serena sent a silent, discreet message with a single flexing of the knee joint that told them to back away from the threat. As they were all watching, they obeyed. The blonde's eyes were fixed on Malos, but she could sense their movements behind her, and knew they'd obeyed. Now to get them all out of this mess in one piece….but to do that, she had to have them move a bit further away. She shifted, and moved her leg back slightly two consecutive times, signaling to them to back up even more. She sensed that the order had been obeyed, and in one fluid motion, pulled her .45 caliber from its hiding place, and took out six monsters in less than five seconds. There were seven more, and before eight seconds had elapsed, they were done for as well.

Malos frowned. "Is that your answer, girl?"

Serena's eyes were steely, and her tone was colder than anyone had ever heard before. "I believe you know the answer to that question, daemon. Leave. _Now_." To emphasize the order, she thrust pieces of the power of her Starseed and her angelic power into her voice, revealing that she could be a surprisingly formidable foe. Malos had clearly underestimated her, as the daemon took a step back. The blonde released her wings and formed the flaming sword in her hand. "I mean it. Go." Her voice was deadly quiet, with a terrifying promise buried in it. Everyone in the room got the message. The blonde was livid, and in her current mood, she would not hesitate to kill.

Malos nodded, and quickly disappeared. Serena calmly made her wings disappear again, banished the sword, and casually began cleaning her gun with a cloth as she turned to her friends. Each face held shock, a fair amount of fear, and some relief. "I warned you that this could get ugly," she stated simply. At the same time, she was trying to figure out why Malos had wanted to join forces with her. Still another piece of this puzzle was missing. She had to find it.

"I guess you weren't kidding when you said you were good with a gun," Amara managed weakly.

"It doesn't mean I enjoy it. If there had been another way to do it, I would have. But my hands were tied. It would have taken too long to transform, and honestly, I don't think it would have done any good. My powers are meant to heal, but this particular enemy is beyond healing."

"Were you scared at all?" Mina asked. "You didn't seem even a little bit worried. You acted like it was a business meeting or something."

"If I'd immediately revealed my gun, you all could have been killed. The situation called for some finesse."

"What happened to you, anyway?" Seiya asked. "When you told Malos to leave, it was like you completely disappeared, and I was looking at a completely different person." His blue eyes held concern and pain. Serena knew that her actions had been the cause, but she refused to regret it. She'd done what was necessary.

"That's how it is. Malos took my cousin, and now he's taken my aunt. Suddenly, he's threatening the people I care about most. I watched you all suffer, and even die once…I won't do that again." Serena had turned on her American voice now, and it was strangely detached sounding. The blonde knew that her defenses were already coming up. The last time Malos had attacked, she'd gotten to the point where she sometimes stated facts in a detached, emotionless tone. She'd had to, to keep her heart from completely shattering.

The sound of beating wings could be heard, and Serena realized that the Powers had found her again. To be quite honest, she didn't care anymore. She was thoroughly sick of being hunted down like a dog, and she decided it was time to face them. Calmly, she let her wings come out again, and ascended into the sky. She faced them calmly.

"I see you finally decided to face your fate," the leader said with a sneer.

"Yes. But I should tell you that a daemon's loose again. What was his name…? Malo…Memo…Tacos…?" Serena was only playing dumb, of course. She knew the name, and knew what the outcome would be.

"Malos?" One of the men suddenly looked frightened.

"Yeah, that's what it was. _Malos _is loose again, and I think he wants to destroy the world. I doubt the Creator would be too happy if you guys let that creepy thing walk the earth and destroy it while you're hunting some pathetic little Nephilim."

"It's a ploy," the leader snapped. She turned and glared at Serena.

"Really? Why would I lie about that? If you tuned in, you could sense the massive amounts of dark power."

Surprisingly, the same man who had listened the first time actually did what she said. "She's right," he informed the others.

The leader had no choice but to do the same and confirm. She faced Serena again. "Slaying loose daemons is the work of the Fallen," she snapped.

"Yes…but most of my family is actually descended from the Fallen. Shouldn't I be trying to help them fight him?"

"It is our duty to slay abominations such as you. There are no exceptions."

"Excuse me for being born. It's not like any of us chose to be born the way we were."

"Enough." The leader swooped in, sword at the ready.

Serena dove out of the way, and formed her own weapon. She didn't want to kill. She could kill daemons and monsters, but she didn't want to kill humans or misguided angels. But she wasn't going to let herself get killed, either. She blocked the strike, but refused to take the offensive. If she did, and managed to take out one of them, she would hurt Seiya again. She'd seen the pain in his eyes when she'd killed those monsters and coldly ordered Malos to leave while silently issuing a death threat. The blonde blocked another strike, and another. Her angelic instincts were screaming at her to attack, but she ignored them. That wouldn't do anything. She hoped her friends were okay. She knew they'd been scared, and not just because of the fact that they could have been killed. It was also because she'd shown a side of herself that she'd almost forgotten was there. But seeing them in danger had brought it out. It even scared _her._

These thoughts made her lose her focus, and therefore, she didn't see the blade move in. She only felt the pain as it sliced across her stomach. That pulled her back to reality, and she managed to block her opponent's attack again. Her injury was stinging horribly, and the pain was growing worse by the second. It didn't help when the four men closed in around them. How was she supposed to block four swords at once? The battle had been so intense that they'd lost track of where they were moving, and as Serena looked around, she realized that they were long gone from Rae's. It looked like she was going to die…and she hadn't even told Seiya how much she loved him, or told Fighter how much she loved her. The blonde felt tears rise in her eyes, but she forced them down.

"Do you finally realize you can't win, Nephilim?" The leader was smug.

Serena nodded. It was true; there was no way she could beat these people. She had nowhere near enough experience, and her powers would be useless. Furthermore, she just couldn't bring herself to kill. One of the men gripped her arms in a hold that she could not possibly break, and the other three separated, granting the leader full access to the blonde. The woman's sword was drawn, poised to kill. The tears came again, and Serena closed her eyes, but one still managed to spill out. Seiya's face shone in her mind, along with those of the rest of the ones she loved. 'Seiya, forgive me,' she thought. 'I never meant to leave you like this.' She felt the disturbance of the air as the sword was brought down. The pain, however, never came. She opened her eyes and raised her head. Time had frozen, it seemed. The sword was still coming, but it had stopped. All was frozen. A hand lightly touched her shoulder. Serena turned.

Sailor Pluto was there.

"Pluto? How…?" Serena was confused.

"I'm the Guardian of Time. It's my job to keep you from being killed. We all sensed your danger, Serena. I came as quickly as I could."

"Are the others…?"

"They're fine. A little shaken, perhaps, but fine."

"Yeah…I kind of scared myself back there."

"You did what you felt was necessary."

"I could have killed someone."

"But you didn't. Your actions saved us all..." Pluto was checking her Princess over to make sure she was uninjured. She immediately lost track of the conversation when she saw the telltale blood stain that was spreading across the blonde's shirt. "You're hurt."

"Yeah. The Powers managed to get a hit in."

Pluto transported them back to the rest of the group, and Serena made her wings disappear again before she sank down on the nearest couch. She wasn't going to whine, but the injury hurt like crazy. Because it was angelic fire, Saturn wasn't able to do much, but she was able to stop the bleeding this time. They just couldn't get it to close. Seiya sat beside the blonde, and she lay her head down on his shoulder, trying to ignore the pain. She pressed a hand to the wound, wishing the pain would stop. Surprisingly, it did, and the wound was now only a thin, long scratch. She'd managed to reduce the severity of the injury. Still, apparently, it drained her, because she suddenly felt slightly dizzy. She was glad she was sitting down. Why did she feel so hot?

Seiya's hand lightly stroked her forehead. It felt pleasantly cool. His voice became concerned. "Odango, you're burning up." He sounded so far away…why was her vision all blurry? The blonde's eyes drifted closed.

"…all right?" Amara was asking her something, but Serena had no clue what it was. Flashbacks from the last time she'd fought Malos were entering her mind. She tried to push them away, but she couldn't, and they rushed over her in waves. The blonde sank into her memories, and entered her worst nightmares. The heat that had been rising in her since she'd sat down grew even worse, and her last coherent and conscious thought was, 'Why all these confrontations?'


	19. Act 18: A Dark Prophecy

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Eighteen: A Dark Prophecy**

**AN: **You might want to sit down for this one…

Seiya held on to the blonde as she went limp, a terror rising in him that was so strong he felt ill. Her head now rested in his lap. This only grew as he realized exactly how hot she was. She had always been warm, but right now, it was as though a fire was blazing under her skin. Amara knelt down and tried to get her to say something, tell them what was wrong, but she was unable to answer. When the girl's eyes fluttered closed, all hell broke loose. Amara was all for hunting down the Powers and killing them herself, Michelle was in agreement, and Trista was trying to convince them that they'd just get themselves killed. At the same time, Mina had gone hysterical, suddenly convinced that Serena was about to die. Amy tried to calm the blonde while also trying to figure out what was wrong, and Rae was ready to smack some sense into Mina, and Lita was arguing with her about why that wasn't the best idea. Yaten decided that Mina was overreacting, and successfully managed to calm her down, and Taiki began to help Amy figure out what was going on. A knock sounded on the door. They all looked at each other in confusion…who was missing? No one. Finally, Rae answered the door.

Surprisingly, Arriane was standing out there. Rae let her in. The fallen angel had been able to help Serena last time; perhaps she could do it again. Arriane took one look at the situation and said, "She'll be fine. This is normal."

"How is this normal?" Amara had just about reached her limit. Scratch that; she was past it.

"She's transitioning."

"Come again?"

"All Nephilim go through this sort of thing. It means her powers are getting stronger. Sometimes, they flare up just a little too fast, and their bodies react to it like it's a case of the flu. It usually lasts a day or so. I knew this would happen at some point, especially considering…" the woman stopped.

"Considering what?" Mina asked curiously. The whole room had relaxed, having been assured that Serena wasn't in any danger.

"I shouldn't say."

"Serena has a right to know, as this concerns her," Amy stated. "And considering that she is currently unconscious, someone will have to know and be able to inform her. Otherwise, she'll find out on her own, and believe me, it is far easier on everyone to just tell her what she wants to know." The others nodded in agreement. If Serena wanted to know something, she _would _find out eventually.

Arriane sighed, but she knew they spoke the truth. She had, after all, known Serena since the blonde had been born. Granted, she hadn't known everything until she was eight, but the blonde had had an infinite capacity for love even then. And she could also be stubborn and extremely inquisitive. Furthermore, Arriane realized, it was wrong that everyone but Serena knew the whole truth. She'd been kept in the dark. Even her cousin Adel had known the whole story. Honestly, would telling her the truth be so terrible? Serena was loyal to a fault when it came to those she loved. The only thing she hated was Malos. Arriane decided that it was time to explain the prophecy. The time was drawing near, and if Serena was to be able to do what she'd been born to do, she had to know the facts. Arriane's affection for the girl wouldn't permit her to do otherwise. A lack of knowledge could kill you.

"I suppose it begins with a prophecy that was made at the time of Lucifer's fall, when daemons freely walked the earth when they chose. When we fell to earth, we Fallen were charged with sealing them away. Even so, sometimes, they escape, and catastrophe follows. Do any of you know about the incident involving Mount Vesuvius and a place called Pompeii?"

"Yes," Amy and Taiki both answered.

"That happened because a daemon got loose. But that is not the point. The point is that at that particular time, a prophecy was made that a Nephilim would be born who had the power to banish all daemons to Hell for good, with no chance of escape. He/She will be pure of heart and have a strong soul. They will also be able to heal wounds caused by angelic flame, as well as the various other powers of the Nephilim. As a rule, only full angels can heal injuries cause by angelic flame. But this Nephilim can, and he/she also will give love unconditionally to those who would accept it."

The Scouts exchanged glances. That definitely sounded like Serena. She was pure of heart, despite what she'd been through, and the light of her soul was strong enough to save the galaxy. She'd also been able to at least mostly heal her injury, and she had given her love even to her enemies. All that she had asked was that they be truly willing to accept it. Could it be…?

"Yes. Serena is the Nephilim of the prophecy." Arriane wasn't sure how to gently add the dark side.

Seiya watched the fallen angel closely. He could sense that there was something else. As soon as he'd heard the word 'prophecy', an alarm had gone off in his head. Prophecies always had bad news mixed with good news, or they were just bad, period. Anything that endangered his Odango, posed even the smallest threat, made him wary. "What's the fine print?" he asked.

Arriane smiled sadly. "You're sharp," she said. "And you're right. There's also a dark side. It's said that this Nephilim would be born from such a union as all of them are, but the sire would be one fallen angel not in search of redemption. Furthermore, it is said that in order to seal the daemons in, they must also imprison themselves, and remain there for all time."

"Anything else?" Seiya inquired. Already, he had decided that the whole thing would happen over his dead body.

Arriane looked pained. "The sire will try to stop her from carrying out her destiny through temptation and manipulation…she could be persuaded to release the daemons and bring about the Apocalypse." She knew they knew that Serena was the Nephilim of the prophecy, so she stopped trying to candy coat it. "Of course, I honestly doubt that will be the case."

Serena was cooling down, and her eyelids fluttered, signaling that she would awaken soon. Seiya realized he was glaring at Arriane, so he turned his attention to his Odango. Tenderly, he stroked her hair, softening as he looked at her. He wouldn't let her fall victim to the prophecy. He'd die first. Serena stirred and whispered his name sweetly, then relaxed and was quiet again. 'I won't let it happen,' he thought fiercely. 'If it does, it'll be after I die.'

"So…who's Serena's actual father?" Mina was curious.

"His name is 'Light-bringer'." Arriane was silent after that, and no one could get her to reveal anything more. "She'll be awake soon, and I need to make sure the Powers don't attack again." With those words, Arriane walked out.

"What's Plan B?" Mina inquired. "That prophecy is not going to happen on my watch."

"We'll think of something," Amy assured her.

"I wonder why the guy's name is 'Light-bringer'…it's so weird!"

Serena let out a sigh, and stirred. The blonde's eyes opened. When she realized where she was and exactly who she was using as her pillow, she smiled up at Seiya. "What just happened? I felt so hot and dizzy…"

"Your powers just got stronger, apparently," Amara answered. "Your body wasn't used to it."

"That's all? I'm not seriously ill?"

"Not at all."

Serena sat up and looked around. As she started to focus, she sensed unease. Trista's face was unreadable as usual, but everyone else seemed to be uneasy and/or worried. She looked at Seiya questioningly. His lips smiled at her, but his deep blue eyes were troubled. She looked to Taiki and Yaten. Taiki made an effort to look reassuring, but was failing miserably. Yaten just looked worried, and made no effort to hide it until Taiki shot him a dirty look. She searched everyone's faces again, confirming what she was thinking. Finally, she looked up at Seiya again and stated calmly, "There's something you guys aren't telling me."

Seiya had known he was in trouble ever since Serena had woken up and seen her eyes flash with intuition. He watched her examine all of their faces, sensing that something was wrong. When she looked up at him, asking him to explain, he hadn't been able to bring himself to tell her what they'd learned. He felt like he was betraying her by not telling her, but he also felt that when she found out, she would freak. He knew she was strong, but he didn't want to put her through the emotional pain that would result. When she finally brought up the awkward silence, he knew that they wouldn't be able to hide it. So he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Arriane came by," Amara finally said. Silently, she vowed to be as gentle as possible when explaining this. Her Koneko deserved to be put through as little pain as possible. She'd been through too much already. "She was the one who explained what was going on." 'Please don't make me do this,' she silently pleaded to any god that would listen. Unfortunately, the gods weren't feeling kind today. Furthermore, everyone seemed to be willing to let _her_ tell Serena everything.

Serena answered, "I know there's another reason; please, Amara, tell me."

"Arriane explained what was going on, but she also told us about a prophecy…" 'Someone, anyone…don't let me do this!' Amara was feeling desperate. She knew this would hurt…Serena would go through an emotional hell. She didn't want to hurt her Princess like this. She forced herself to continue. "The prophecy talked about a Nephilim that would be able to seal away every existing daemon permanently. Said Nephilim would have a pure heart, a strong soul, and be able to give unconditional love to anyone who would accept it." Amara didn't want to spit the next part out. Fortunately, Seiya came to the rescue.

"But there was also a price," Seiya began. "The one who could seal the daemons away would also be imprisoned. Even so, there's another way it could go. As the prophecy goes, this particular Nephilim would be born to a fallen angel who does not seek redemption. This angel would return and have his child bring about the end of the world. That possibility is remote, but still mentioned." His voice was gentle, but serious.

Serena had figured things out…they all knew she wasn't half as thick as she pretended to be. "Did she mention who my father was?" the blonde asked. She'd put the pieces together, all right…they could see it in her eyes.

"She said that his name was 'Light-bringer'," Mina answered. All of them were watching for some signal as to how Serena was going to react.

"Huh." Serena's tone was vague. Her face was calm, but her eyes were distant.

'Oh, stars, no!' Yaten thought. He could feel Serena coolly turning off her emotions, could see the distant expression in her eyes. He knew that look; they all did. That was the same look Serena had worn when she'd been going through the emotional hell while she'd been being forced to conceal her father's adultery. This was going to be even worse, though, the silver-haired boy realized. This time, they couldn't just tell her to tell her mother. This time, the pain couldn't simply be taken away with a confession, for there was nothing to confess.

Serena, meanwhile, was recalling half-remembered conversations between her mother and her Aunt Lisa, and even Lisa and Adel. The whispers, the way they had all protected her so fiercely the last time Malos had attacked…they'd all known. And she'd been left in the dark. No one had told her anything…her mother hadn't even tried. The prophecy concerned her, and everyone had known except her. Did Sammy know? Probably not…but that was hardly any comfort. The point was that at least four people she'd trusted and loved had lied to her. But she couldn't bring herself to hate them. She just couldn't. Her heart was screaming in pain, but she could never hate them. "I need to be excused," she murmured, and promptly stood up. She wasn't going to start wailing right there…she wouldn't. Keeping her face calm, she thrust her emotions deep inside herself, and imagined that she was somewhere else, giving herself a false feeling of serenity. She could see the concern on their faces, but she wasn't having any of it. They'd worried enough on her account. "I'm fine," she said quietly, and moved for the door. Seiya got up to follow, but she held up a hand, giving the universal signal that she did not wish to be followed.

"Odango…"

"Just let me go, Seiya. I need to think." With those words, the blonde left, never looking back.

Seiya excused himself, and followed, careful not to make his presence known. He wasn't going to let her walk around by herself these days, especially not now. From his place in the shadows, he made sure she got home safely, and then, he left. 'Oh, Odango…' he thought. 'I'd do anything if it meant you could stop hurting.'


	20. Act 19: Aching

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Nineteen: Aching**

**AN: **If you think this is as crazy as it gets, you're dead wrong.

Ilene Tsukino was washing the dishes when her daughter got home. At first, she didn't sense anything unusual, except for the fact that she wasn't chatty like she usually was. After ten seconds of strained silence, she looked up. Her daughter was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, face deadly serious. The blonde's eyes usually held laughter and unbridled joy, but now they were steely and cold. "Serena, what is it?" Ilene was concerned about the sudden change in her daughter's demeanor. The women put down the plate she was drying and the dish towel.

"You lied to me, Mother." The girl's British accent was still present, and her voice was cold and clipped. "And so did everyone else, it seems."

Ilene felt a suspicion rising in her, and she felt ill. She had intended to tell Serena at some point, but she hadn't known how to broach the subject. "You know."

"About the prophecy? Yes. It seems that all of you intended to keep me in the dark. You made it seem like I was just a normal girl at first, and then it turns out I'm a Nephilim. Uziel Schneider and the Powers let me in on that. Just another abomination for the Powers to hunt down and kill, right? Nope…you kept something else from me. I'm not only an abomination; I can also lock every existing daemon in Hell for the rest of eternity. But here's the funny thing; I get stuck there, too. When exactly were you all planning to let me in on that, hmm?"

"We meant to tell you, Serena, I promise. But I wasn't sure how…you've had to deal with so much…I didn't want to put you through any more pain."

"So you just let Arriane spill the beans to my friends knowing they'd tell me. How easy…and underhanded."

"Arriane wasn't supposed to say anything."

"Why do you always keep me in the dark, Mother? You know I hate that. Furthermore, a lack of information for me is a death sentence; especially now."

"What else do you know?"

"That's about it. I have to wonder, though; when and how exactly did you meet my father? The one who actually helped contribute to my birth?"

Ilene knew that she was about to drop another bomb on her daughter, and she hated it. She wondered if she should lie, but she realized that would just make things even worse. Finally, she answered. "One of the Fallen had a dream, and informed us that it was time that the prophecy bore fruit. I was one month away from marrying Ken. It was declared that I was the one chosen to give birth to you. Your father's identity was unknown to me. It took only a night. Once that was over, I never saw him again. Eight months later, you were born. Ken thought you were born a little early; he didn't suspect anything."

"So I was born just to fulfill the prophecy…wow. Now I know how that girl in _My Sister's Keeper _felt. She was used as spare parts, I'm a dispensable pawn that can get rid of all the bad guys." Serena's tone was bitter.

"That wasn't how any of us felt; I _love_ you! I did then, and I do now. Don't talk like that…you're not dispensable. You're my _daughter_, my flesh and blood! I would give anything to make that prophecy go away!" Ilene was in tears.

Serena laughed, the sound bitter and mirthless. "That's nice, really. But you still did what you did to fulfill the prophecy; were you thinking about how nice it would be to have a kid? No…you were like, 'Sure, I'll have the baby that can save the world! Sure, when it's time, I'll let them be locked up in Hell!' Maybe you guys see me as a person now, but let's face it; when you conceived me, everyone was just thinking about fulfilling the prophecy. None of you imagined that you would actually start to see me as anything else. I finally get why Adel called me 'Dove'…it wasn't because of my personality; it was because I'd bring everyone some peace once I was gone. After all, doesn't the dove symbolize peace? What a joke!" The blonde's voice held pure venom by the end of her tirade.

"Adel didn't know about it until Malos attacked when you were eight; she overheard Lisa and I talking. When she found out, she was furious. She screamed that she wouldn't let anyone convince you to do that. She said that she would rather fight daemons for all eternity than let you fulfill your destiny. Lisa and I were trying to find a way to keep the prophecy from happening at that point. Adel didn't know about it, and when she found out, she was ready to kill both of us."

Serena turned away, unable to take it anymore. She felt betrayed, lied to, used, and downright dreadful. The blonde went upstairs to her room and locked the door behind her. Her mother knocked, but Serena refused to acknowledge that. She was too angry and wounded to deal with anyone. The girl was sprawled across her bed, silent tears spilling down her cheeks. Her mother entreated her to open the door and let her explain, but what was there to explain? She'd heard enough. Her heart ached and throbbed, injured from all of the information she'd acquired. Her whole reason for existing was now called into question. It made her doubt everything anyone had told her.

The tears came even faster, and she buried her face in the pillow to conceal the sounds of her soft sobs. How was she supposed to deal with this? The pain was a horrible ache that wouldn't go away. She could hear Luna scratching at the door, but she wouldn't let even her mentor in. She wanted to be left alone. How much more pain could her heart endure? How much more of this could she take? Serena sat up, the tears still falling. Her gun was still at her waist. It would be so easy to pull the trigger and end it. The prophecy would go up in smoke, and she wouldn't have to deal with this pain any longer. The blonde turned it over in her hand, thinking. She stroked the cold metal. The cold was the polar opposite of the blazing inferno that was her heart. The perfect antidote. All she had to was aim and fire. It would be so easy…

But Seiya…Serena paused at the thought of her love. She recalled the pain she'd seen in his eyes when she'd been torturing herself over what her dad was doing. That pain would be increased tenfold if she did what she was considering. Could she do that to him? She examined the gun, and saw her own tear-stained face on the surface. No…with a faint cry, she flung the thing away from her. She couldn't hurt Seiya like that; she'd already broken his heart once; why would she do it again when she loved him so? No…she had to deal with this.

†**Ѣ****†****Ѣ****††****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†**

Seiya lay awake. The look in his Odango's eyes when he'd told her the facts…God, he'd hurt her. He'd hurt _her_…he'd hurt the reason it was a pleasure to wake up each day. The pain in those beautiful cerulean eyes had been terrible to see. The worst part was that he could do nothing about it. Nothing he could do or say would ease her pain. He knew she was crying at home; he knew the signals that indicated when she was horribly upset. He'd seen tears in her eyes, but she hadn't let them come out at all while she was walking home.

Knowing she was in such terrible pain made his heart ache. He'd promised himself, in his heart of hearts, that he would never hurt her. He'd broken that promise. The raven-haired boy picked up the phone and dialed her number. Ilene Tsukino answered. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Tsukino, it's Seiya. May I speak to Serena?"

"She's not talking to anyone; not even me." Mrs. Tsukino's tone was sad. "When I knocked, she refused to answer."

Seiya felt a stab of pain at that. She was taking this hard. "Oh…" was all he could manage.

"I'll have her call you tomorrow."

"Okay…" Seiya hung up. 'Oh, Odango...I'm so sorry…'


	21. Act 20: Split

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty: Split**

The following day, Serena slipped down into the basement and into the shooting range. She was careful not to wake her mother up. Now that the original shock was past, she could think more clearly. The blonde realized that she'd been unreasonable last night. She knew her mom loved her; after all, if she had simply been considered a disposable pawn, she would have been either mistreated or given her way without question or love. Her mother had disciplined her, but never too harshly, and she'd been there when she was sad. That kind of thing couldn't be faked. Serena knew that her friends were probably really worried right now. She'd heard the phone ring and let her mom answer it. She was willing to bet anything that it had been Seiya. She knew he'd followed her home last night, and this morning, she appreciated it. He'd looked out for her when she wasn't looking out for herself. Why? Because he loved her.

With a faint smile, Serena started her target practice. For some reason, she always felt better afterwards, and even better, it helped her put things in perspective. As she fired the first shot, she realized something that made the prophecy seem much less frightening. She had two destinies that were guaranteed to come true. Pluto had said nothing about her future as Neo-Queen Serenity being in danger. Maybe there was some clause that could change the outcome of this whole situation. Serena checked her marksmanship. She was right on. As she aimed again, she realized that it was impossible for her to live out two destinies at once, and since her future as a queen was apparently still a possibility, there was something that could save her from eternal torment. She pulled the trigger.

But something didn't add up, she thought absently as she checked her marksmanship again. Perfect again. Destiny was practically guaranteed, but how could she carry out two prophecies at once? There was a missing piece. The blonde checked her ammunition, and the state of the gun to make sure it didn't fail or misfire. It was all good. She aimed and fired again, checking where she'd hit, thinking. She was missing something…even so, it made things seem less terrifying. Things didn't seem as dark as they had last night. She went a few more rounds, thinking over her situation. There was definitely a missing piece of information, but what was it? How was it possible for someone to live two prophecies at the same time without affecting either future outcome unless…? Serena paused. Surely not…but that was the only logical explanation…

The blonde called up a half-forgotten scrap of information she'd once picked up when she'd made the mistake of asking Trista for an explanation on something. She adored Trista, but sometimes her explanations were too lengthy to follow, and extremely confusing. If she remembered right, she asked what the difference between Fate and Destiny was, if there was any difference, and what would happen if something happened to alter it. Somewhere in the midst of the lengthy, detailed explanation, she'd heard something about how two destinies could be laid out before someone by accident. It was rare, but apparently possible. Hmm…what had been the exact words? She fired another shot, and completely missed the target. "Damn," she muttered.

†**Ѣ****†****ѢѢ****†****Ѣ****†**

Seiya hadn't slept at all last night, Taiki observed. Honestly, though, he didn't think anyone had slept well, if at all. Even Yaten had the look of someone who'd been awake at least half the night. Taiki hid a fleeting smile. The silver-haired boy had a good heart, even though he acted like a jerk. When it came to those he cared about, Yaten could be infuriating, but also immensely loyal. He would never admit it, but he cared about Serena. And it wasn't just for Mina's or Seiya's sake. How could one not end up caring about the blonde? It had been her love and light that had saved them all from Chaos. She'd saved them from sinking completely into despair. The girl's capacity for love still managed to amaze and utterly confound them. Her warmth was nearly impossible to resist.

It was about ten in the morning. Seiya was about to lose his mind from worrying. No one knew if the hyper blonde was all right, and her mom wasn't talking, either. Serena had taken everything pretty hard. In the end, they all met at Rae's temple. Serena wasn't there. They tried again, but no one was answering the phone. This was getting ridiculous. But considering how Serena was, it would probably be a while before she managed to work through this. Seiya and Amara were both in complete agreement for once; all this waiting was torture, and they both wanted to make sure Serena was all right _now_. There was some arguing, like Amy insisting that Serena would most likely take a few days to work through this, and Luna saying that Serena had instructed everyone to just leave her alone, but in the end, neither Seiya nor Amara could be stopped.

Halfway there, they got into an argument that, later, neither of them could remember what it had been about. They were still glowering at each other when they knocked on the door. Mrs. Tsukino answered it. It was clear she hadn't slept, either. When she saw them, she sighed faintly and then said, "She's in the basement."

The two followed her down those steps, and were totally confused when she paused in front of what appeared to be a random wall. It turned to surprise when she lifted a picture, revealing a keypad that was clearly part of a security system. She punched in the code, and the wall suddenly swung open, revealing a secret room. Ilene Tsukino motioned to them to follow her in, and they obeyed. When they looked around, neither could stop their jaws from falling to the floor. In this room was a shooting range, every conceivable gun, and tons of bullets for each weapon. In the midst of it all was Serena. The blonde was completely focused on the target. It was obvious that she'd been at this for hours. Her hands were stained with gunpowder, and the targets were riddled with bullets.

"She does this when she's worried or stressed, or sometime when she's thinking," Mrs. Tsukino explained. "This time, I think she's doing it because she's thinking hard about something." She examined a computer screen that Amara guessed was to track one's progress. "Oh, my…she's at sniper level."

"Sniper level?" Seiya asked nervously.

"This room is designed to help her hone her skills with a gun. It measures her progress with various levels. The lowest one is Squirt Gun, basically baby level. The highest is Assassin, meaning she could take down just about anything. Sniper is about one level below that."

"So she would actually be able to do what a sniper does?" Seiya was freaked. And, to be perfectly honest, so was Amara. Both were wondering exactly how someone like Serena could get to that level.

"In theory. She mostly does this to blow off steam or to help her think. She insists that it helps her put things into a better perspective. She doesn't mind target practice, but she loathes an actual battle." Ilene observed her daughter carefully. "It looks like she's relaxed. It's safe to talk. Serena?" she called.

Seiya and Amara exchanged glances. They hadn't considered that Serena could actually get stressed. Though, now that they thought about it, they could see several reasons why she could.

The blonde in question turned. She blinked in confusion when she saw her mom, but when she realized that Seiya and Amara were there as well, understanding crossed her face. She put the gun down and walked over. Her face was relaxed, and held none of the turmoil from yesterday. It was still obvious that she'd had trouble sleeping.

"Are you all right?" Amara asked softly.

"I was a little freaked, but I'm okay now. I've just been trying to think some things through."

Ilene quietly slipped out of the room, giving them some privacy.

"You know we'd never let that happen," Seiya spoke softly.

"I know…and I realized something odd. I was remembering something Pluto told me, about how by some strange twist, two destinies could be laid out before one person. I've been trying to remember exactly what would happen. All I can recall is that the person lives out both, but neither interferes with the other. But I can't come up with any logical explanation but one, and that's crazy."

"What do you think?" Amara was interested, and she also made a note not to underestimate the blonde. It was clear that she had more of a brain than they gave her credit for.

"The only way I see that could do that is if I somehow split into two. Like, you know how I'm half angel, half human? What if I wasn't supposed to be reincarnated like that? I'm thinking that when I fulfill one destiny, the human part of me and the angel part of me will split, like the angel half stays, and the human half somehow gets out." Serena lightly rubbed her temples. "Oww…migraine…"

Amara smiled. Her Koneko would be fine. "Honestly, Koneko, I think the only one who could try and think about that concept _without_ getting a migraine is Trista. Still, that's an interesting thought. Let's ask her about it."

"Okay," Serena grinned. Yes, she was definitely going back to her happy self. "I'd better go get this gunpowder off my hands, though."

Seiya finally voiced what was bothering him. "Do you really get stressed so often that you've gotten to sniper level?"

Serena grinned wickedly. "Dealing with Darien on a daily basis would stress _anyone _out."

Seiya couldn't help it; he laughed. So did Amara. Even though it wasn't that funny a joke, the whole trio stood there laughing and chuckling for about ten minutes.

"Why are we laughing?" Seren gasped between guffaws.

"No idea," Amara managed.

Seiya was helpless with laughter.


	22. Act 21: Night Attack

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty One: Night Attack**

**AN: **This is really gonna start picking up; hold on.

Two days passed, and during that time, there seemed to be a peaceful, idyllic lull in activity. No attacks by Malos' minions, no near-deaths at the hands of the Powers…nothing. It was like things had stopped. Neither Serena nor her mother was fooled. They both knew what it meant. Even Adel, in her child-like state, was frightened. Sammy sensed the tension, but honestly had no idea what it was about. All he knew was that one of his cousins was suddenly there, and that his mom and sister were so tightly wound it was impossible to get them to relax. Seiya sensed the tension, but when he asked about it, Serena pressed her lips tightly together and looked grim.

Secretly, Serena began packing several guns along with plenty of ammunition into their car. She also filled the car up with gasoline and filled a few bags with five days' food rations for four people, along with water and clothing. Luna wondered what was going on, but Serena wouldn't say anything helpful, only that a storm was coming. The cat had a suspicion that they would be leaving soon, but she couldn't imagine why. All she knew was that something had Serena and her mother, as well as Adel, extremely concerned. And it was something that required Serena to load the car. Time and time again, everyone asked her what was going on, but Serena refused to answer.

Finally, the waiting ended. In a monumentally messy way. It was about midnight, and Serena lay partially awake, one hand on her trusty .45 caliber, clad in a matched set of black lace lingerie. The blonde's hair was undone, streaming down her back and pooling on the floor, shining and golden even in the dark. There was a tapping sound from downstairs, and Serena sat up, finger on the trigger, safety off. Luna let out a confused mew. What was going on? There was a loud crash. In one motion, Serena was up. The next moment, Ilene entered, carrying a half-asleep Sammy. Serena scooped up Luna with her free hand and balanced her on her shoulder, and then took Adel's hand.

"I'm ready," the blonde said. "And so is everything else."

"Good. The window?"

"Got it."

Serena launched a kick at the doors to her balcony, knocking it open. Serena, showing a crazy amount of strength, picked up Adel, and jumped off the balcony. Ilene followed. They all landed in the midst of a bunch of Malos' minions. Serena fired several rounds, and cleared the way to the car. Ilene practically threw the now-awake and extremely confused and scared Sammy into the backseat, and Serena eased Adel in after him. With Luna still on her shoulder, the blonde dove into the passenger seat. As soon as her daughter closed the door, Ilene stepped on the gas, and they went roaring out of there. The monsters followed.

"Serena?"

"Gotcha." The blonde rolled down the window, leaned out, and fired several times. She missed none of the monsters. The girl pulled herself back into the car and relaxed in the seat. Luna was itching to start screaming, but decided it wasn't worth it. There were too many people around.

"Did you pack provisions?" Ilene inquired, her eyes never leaving the road.

"Five days' worth for everyone, and I packed some weapons and ammo."

"Good girl."

"Mom, what's going on?" Sammy asked.

"No time to explain, Sammy," Serena answered. "I'll tell you later. Just go back to sleep."

"We jumped out a window and my sister's practically a sniper! _How would I be able to sleep?_"

"Incoming," Ilene warned.

"How many?" Serena asked.

"Ten."

"Okay. Sammy, hold Luna. I'm going up."

The blonde handed the cat to her bewildered and terrified little brother, and pushed open the sunroof, climbing out and perching on top of the car, gun at the ready. She saw ten of Malos' goons, just as her mom had told her, and there was Lisa, Malos' unfortunate host. The blonde aimed and fired at the first two monsters. They both dropped. She shot down another six, and then the last two. Only Malos was left. The blonde couldn't bring herself to pull the trigger. If she fired, she'd temporarily stop Malos, but kill her aunt.

"Aim to wound," Ilene called up.

Serena changed her position to make a wounding shot rather than one that would kill. Malos fell back, and cursed at her. The blonde pretended not to hear, and watched him disappear. She climbed back down into the car, and Luna blushed as she finally noticed that the future Queen of Crystal Tokyo was clad only in a black lace bra and panties. The blonde relaxed back in the seat, breathing a sigh. She wished this would end. She wanted to put some real clothes on. Luna had pulled her mind away from the trivial worries about Serena's attire and focused on the bigger question; what was going on?

"Seriously, what's going on?"Sammy demanded.

"Homicidal maniacs are after us," Serena snapped. "I had to take a few out. That's the condensed version, and the only explanation you'll get right now. Now shut it. We need to make sure no more are coming!"

Sammy was quiet.

Serena softened her voice. "I'm sorry, but this is as scary for me as it is for you. I promise I'll explain this later…or, Mom will, anyway. But first, we need to get somewhere safe."

Sammy nodded.

The blonde girl jumped, then rolled her eyes as her communicator went off. She answered. It was Fighter.

"Odango, are you all right?" Clearly, the Scouts had sensed the danger and come rushing over.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little night ambush. We're all fine. We expected it."

"Are you sure? You're not hurt?"

"No…just a little under-dressed. I'm fine, really. I'll call when we stop."

"You'd better."

"I promise I will. Love you."

"Love you, too." Serena quickly hung up. She was glad that thing hadn't been on speaker; that would have been awkward. She knew that her Mom had seen strange things, but she wasn't sure how she'd react to the fact that her daughter was dating a man who could turn into a woman, or vice-versa. The truth was, Seiya was actually a woman…all the Starlights were, but in order to avoid major confusion and other complications, they took the forms of males for the most part. Something told Serena that the whole thing would be beyond her family's understanding. She sank into the seat. She could tell the drive would last awhile.


	23. Act 22: The Quickening

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty Two: The Quickening**

**Serena: **What are you planning?

**Starlily11: **Nothing too gruesome…

**Serena: **Coming from you, that's not comforting. I never know where you draw the line.

After several hours, the car finally stopped. Serena climbed out of the car, announced that she was going to go pee, grabbed some clothes, and disappeared into the nearby wood. Once she was alone, the blonde picked up her communicator and called. She looked at the sky and grimaced. It was almost daylight now. Fighter picked up almost immediately. Serena took a breath and prepared herself for a world-class freak-out. Knowing how they all usually handled this sort of thing, they'd probably gone to the house and found it wrecked, and then realized they'd been followed. Even if she were perfectly safe, there would still be an explosion. She wasn't disappointed. She could hear Uranus shouting her head off in the background.

"Odango, are you all right? What exactly happened? Where are you? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Fighter. Malos' minions attacked so fast I didn't even have time to really get dressed, not sure where I am, and no, I'm not…" Serena realized that she'd been scratched by a few tree branches they'd passed. "Well, I have a few scratches, but really, nothing too major." Serena noticed that it sounded like Fighter was moving, and quickly at that. Chances were, they would all be here in minutes. "Listen, it isn't as bad as it looks or sounds. This has happened before; I know how to handle it."

"Really? Then why are you running around in the wilderness in your underwear?" Uranus asked coolly from behind her.

The blonde jumped about a foot, and yelped. "God, Uranus! Don't sneak up on me like that! And didn't you hear? The bad guys attacked so fast that I was more concerned about not getting a bullet or something buried in my skull than I was about preserving my modesty! And besides, I've been in a crowded car for hours. I'm not going to get dressed in the front seat while I'm running from monsters. Granted, I shot most of them, but still…" The girl said all this as she pulled on a shirt and a pair of pants.

"I'm sorry…you have a point. But you know how worried we get." The sky soldier was somewhat apologetic, realizing that Serena had a point.

"I know," Serena sighed, and wiped some extra sweat from her forehead, letting out a gasp as she ran across a graze.

Uranus took a look. "How'd that happen?"

"I spent some time on the roof of the car shooting monsters. Got hit by some branches." The girl removed a twig from her hair. "But this makes no sense…Malos is really dragging his heels. He's up to something. It could have been a lot worse…" a thought occurred to her. "Did you ever ask Pluto about the whole 'split between two destinies' thing?"

Uranus didn't have a chance to answer, because Fighter arrived. Serena immediately, reflexively, even, slipped into her embrace. Fighter held the blonde tightly, but not too tightly. Serena let it stay that way. The night's events were catching up to her. All at once, the fatigue crashed down, and the adrenaline disappeared. The girl started to sink to the ground. Fighter eased her down, her face concerned. "What is it?"

"Adrenaline rush died," Serena answered. "Knew that would happen at some point. What a day, huh? It's not even…what's the time…?"

"Eight in the morning," Uranus supplied.

"It's hardly eight in the morning, and I've already been attacked by monsters, thwacked by tree branches, and wiped out because my adrenaline died. The only thing that could make my day even better would be if the Powers were to show up." The last bit was said with a massive amount of sarcasm.

"Careful what you wish for, Princess," Pluto warned, stepping from the shadows.

"I'm so wiped out I couldn't shoot a brick wall," Serena moaned. "Let alone climb on top of a car and shoot a bunch of monsters, or fight the Powers. Believe me, that's the last thing I want."

"You did that?" Venus asked curiously. She, with the rest of the Inners, had just arrived.

"Yeah. Just this morning. Trouble's over now, though." The girl turned to go.

"Not so fast," Fighter said, still keeping a hold on the blonde. "First, you're going to explain how everything played out, and we'll take care of those scrapes and cuts. Then, you can tell us exactly where you're going."

Serena gulped, and tried to remember if she'd let on that she was planning to disappear again. That had been the plan; run from the attack, go far away, and fade into the woodwork until they came up with a plan. How had they figured that out? Oh, right…Pluto. "Okay, I'll tell you, but I should warn you; my mom and the rest of my family aren't too far away…"

"That's fine," Fighter replied.

"We've got plenty of time…and we're good at disappearing," Healer added.

Mercury knelt and began cleaning one particularly nasty scrape on Serena's cheek. Luna joined them presently, and Serena began a detailed version of exactly what had happened, sparing them no details as they had requested. She also admitted that, yes, she'd been planning on pulling a disappearing act. It was standard procedure, she explained. That was what they'd done last time. When she got to the part about her literally climbing up on the car roof in only her undergarments, shooting monsters while riding at almost eighty miles per hour, most of them were horrified. The undergarment issue caused several blushes, if not scandalized expressions. She continued on, carefully explaining that she hadn't known where they were headed; she never did. All she knew was that they were planning to go a huge distance, and it would be as if they'd never existed.

"Really, though, I think that this time might be different. Malos is planning something new; otherwise, we'd all be dead by now. He's really dragging his heels."

"You have a point," Pluto realized aloud.

"That reminds me; do you know anything about the whole 'split between two destinies' issue?"

"Honestly, that happens so rarely that no one really knows for sure how it works. The way it's been described, it sounds as though one splits into two people and lives two lives at the same time."

Serena rubbed her temples. "Okay…migraine…"

"I understand; it's confusing to me as well."

"It's enough to give _anyone _a headache!" Mars groaned. "Why can't things be uncomplicated for once?"

"We'd never have any fun if complications didn't happen," Serena giggled. "If everything were easy, we'd all have been bored to death a long time ago. Besides, it makes life interesting."

"Do you have _any_ idea what Malos is up to?" Jupiter asked.

"No…just that it's nothing good." As she said it, Serena realized it was a lie. An idea was forming in her head, but she was afraid to say it out loud. She didn't bother to correct herself. After all, she was still forming the thought…no need to bring it up right now. They were all too spooked, anyway.

"SERENA!" Ilene yelled.

The blonde had released herself from Fighter's hold and had her gun out in an instant. Before she ran off, she checked the ammunition level. She still had about six bullets. Then, she was going. As she let her angel-powered senses work, she sensed Malos' dark presence. "You've _got_ to be kidding!" she muttered, and started running. She knew her friends were behind her, and could only hope that there wouldn't be too many questions from her mom later. Her mother had no clue about that part of her life, and she wanted it to stay that way. Sure enough, her possessed aunt had Ilene by the throat. The wound Serena had given Malos had done very little damage. Adel was cowering in a corner, whimpering. If Adel hadn't been destroyed by Malos all those years ago, she would have been fighting tooth and nail. That had to be frustrating…being trapped and helpless…

Serena raised her gun. "Back off, Malos!" she shouted.

"Do you really want to put a bullet in you aunt's skull? Go right ahead."

Serena didn't hesitate. She didn't shoot, but she didn't lower the gun, either. Instead, she moved at lightning speed, and knocked the enemy away from her mother with the butt of the weapon. She felt the power rising in her, but fought it. If she let that strength loose, the Powers would be on her ass so fast she wouldn't have time to sneeze. Sweat poured down her forehead as her angelic side fought to have its way. Malos stood, and moved for her, but was hit by a blast from somewhere behind her. Her friends had her back. She leaned against a tree, breathing. The power was still struggling to get out, but she wouldn't let it. The last thing she needed was two battles to fight simultaneously. Her heartbeat rose, and the blood was rushing to her head. She felt so feverish…she clutched the protective rune Arriane had given her. All at once, the feeling stopped, and she felt normal again.

"I felt that power surge," Malos called to her. "You're the strongest Nephilim ever born. The reason is that you were sired by the first and greatest Fallen. You know the name; it's there in your mind right now."

"Stuff it," Serena whispered.

"Join me. I can help you escape your fate."

"I'll take my chances."

"Very well, then." Malos charged her, and she barely had time to spring out of the way. The enemy attacked her with a force so great that the blonde felt her angel side thrusting its way through her body. She couldn't let it come out or the Powers would find her; but if she didn't do it, she could die. The girl dodged another blow, and saw her friends beating against an invisible barrier. This was apparently to be between her and Malos.

"Really. Turn away from this foolishness. You can escape your destiny; just give in."

"And let you destroy the world? Never."

"Oh, dear, that is hardly my plan. What have they been telling you?"

"That I'm supposed to either seal the gates to Hell or unleash it on Earth."

"No…you're meant to destroy this world in order to help create a new one."

Serena laughed. "You expect me to believe that, coming from _you_? Come on; give me a break."

"It's in your blood…you know that. What does 'Light-bringer' translate to in Latin? You know the answer."

Serena abandoned all reason and formed the sword in her hand. Malos did likewise, taking on his true form. In that moment, Serena realized that this time was much, much worse than last time. She was now facing a dark beast formed by shadows with glowing red eyes, wings dripping blood. That wasn't supposed to happen. If Malos could take his true, solid, non-spectral form…that meant the Apocalypse would occur soon if something wasn't done quickly. She released her wings, and Malos attacked. She raised her sword, and began the battle for her life.

**§†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†§**

Fighter threw herself against the wall again and again, willing to break every bone in her body if it meant she could get to her Odango in time. Malos was going to kill her, extinguish that bright light. That light was too beautiful to burn out. The others were doing likewise, but had no luck. Why did it always have to be force fields? Helplessly, they all watched as Malos revealed his true, terrible form and started to close in. Serena released her beautiful, shining white wings, her fiery sword already in her hand. Malos attacked, and a horrible battle began. Soon, Serena was locked in ferocious combat, and no one could do anything but try to push past the barrier and watch.

The blonde didn't seem to see anything but her opponent, and she blocked the blows directed at her calmly, as though she'd been born doing so. It was clear that the angelic half of her was in control now. Otherwise, she wouldn't have been fighting. Malos got in a hit, and Serena hurtled toward the ground. She caught herself, and flew upwards, again engaging in fierce combat. Fighter thrust her body against the invisible barrier again, and for a moment, felt it weaken. She tried again, but she still couldn't get through. She was going to be sore when this was over…that thought disappeared from her mind as Malos' sword went under Serena's. 'Oh, God, no...' she thought. All around her, the others were shouting Serena's name. In desperation, Fighter hurled herself against the barrier…and made it through. She looked at the battle. Serena had blocked the blow, but been disarmed in the process.

Malos raised his sword, and the metal gleamed in the early morning sun just before it came slashing down. Fighter didn't even consider stopping to think. All she knew was that her Odango was about to be struck down. The raven haired girl jumped upwards, wrapped an arm around the blonde's waist, and thrust her behind her. Pain seared through her as the blade sank into her abdomen. She was stabbed clean through. Serena was the only thing keeping her in the air. Malos smirked, said something in an unknown language to Serena, removed the blade, and disappeared. Blood rushed from the wound, and Fighter could feel her life ebbing away.

"Fighter…" the word came from Serena's lips as a sob. Tears spilled down her cheeks. The blonde lifted the raven-haired girl into her arms, holding her. "You should have let me take that hit," she murmured.

"Never…your light should never die…" Fighter whispered faintly.

Serena landed. Her mind was racing, frantically looking for a way to save her love. She smacked herself hard in the face when she recalled that she could heal wounds. Honestly, she made herself feel stupid at times. She looked down at the bleeding girl in her arms. "You'll be okay…" she whispered, and eased them both to the ground. Healer and Maker were there in an instant, faces white. Serena placed a hand to the wound. She didn't care if the Powers found her. If Fighter was to survive, she'd have to let her power shine like a beacon. If the Powers killed her, that was fine. At least Fighter would still be alive.

Her heartbeat became the only thing she could hear besides her breathing. She could feel her blood rushing through her veins. Time seemed to stop for her, and then, deep inside, she could see the pool of white fire that was her angelic power. She called to it, let it replace the blood running through her. She let it flow through her and into Fighter, willing the wound to heal. She'd never used her power to heal a wound this bad; it was surprisingly difficult. She needed to call up even more power, and it felt like an inferno was blazing in her body. She ignored the pain, and continued to let her power flow. She could feel Healer trying to tell her something, but she didn't have time to listen; she needed to save Fighter.

'Please let this work,' Healer thought as she watched Serena heal Fighter's wound. That wound would have been mortal…it should have been. But thanks to Serena's angelic half, the blonde was able to do what most people would think was impossible. The horrible wound on Fighter's abdomen was already only a really deep cut now. Healer could sense the amount of power Serena was using, and knew that she was going to do this even if it killed her. Fighter had one hand over Serena's, and was telling her it was okay to stop now. It was pointless; Serena had sunk into her power and wouldn't come out of it until she had fully healed the raven-haired girl. Healer was practically useless at the moment; she'd been terrified seconds ago, realizing that she could lose her best friend. Now, she was torn between amazement and concern that Serena would end up killing herself.

Serena reduced the wound to a mere scratch, but she kept going. Healer could feel the power surge, see the inferno rushing through the blonde's veins. Maker lightly shook the silver-haired girl's shoulder. "We need to stop her," she whispered. "If she doesn't quit soon, she'll be completely drained, and she'll die."

Healer tried to send a telepathic message, but Serena wasn't listening. She looked at Maker helplessly. Uranus shook the blonde lightly, but there was no response. Fighter's wound was almost gone. Serena's power flow started to dim and flicker, but she kept going. Fighter touched her face and whispered, "Odango, you can stop now. I'm fine." That got a response. Serena blinked, and seemed to come back to herself. She looked around, and when she realized that Fighter was now fully healed, she breathed a sigh of relief. She looked at the others. Pluto was calmly erasing Ilene's, Sammy's and Adel's memories of the Scouts' presence. That was good. The three were now peacefully dozing.

"You could have killed yourself," Fighter whispered.

"It was worth it. I wasn't going to let you die."

"What about the Powers?"

"Let them come. I'm getting sick of being hunted down like a dog. Besides, I'd fight them five times a day if it meant you and everyone else I love would be safe." Serena meant that, but she was also troubled. The one person she loved above all others had nearly died today. Furthermore, what Malos had said…about 'Light-bringer', and his parting words after he'd stabbed Fighter… 'You're quickening,' he'd said. What did that mean?

"What did he say?' Fighter asked.

"Who?"

"Malos. He said something to you in a different language."

"Nothing significant," Serena answered.

Fighter looked at her searchingly, but could read nothing.

"You guys had better go before Mom wakes up. Thanks for saving us all from major awkwardness, Pluto."

"You're welcome."

"I'm not leaving you to face the Powers alone," Uranus snapped.

"Fighter almost died; I don't want to lose any of you. Besides, I think even those idiots realize that something's going on that's worse than a little Nephilim roaming the Earth."

'You're quickening,' Malos' words echoed in her head. "I'll be fine. I've learned a few tricks."

"I don't like this…"

"Please?"

"May I propose a compromise?" Pluto inquired. "The Starlights and Inners ought to go back and rest; especially you, Fighter. Serena healed you, but you still ought to get some sleep. A few of us can stay and remain out of sight, then step in if Serena needs help."

"That sounds good," Serena conceded.

"Fine," Uranus said.

"I don't need to be coddled," Fighter growled.

Serena gave the raven-haired girl a look that left no room for argument. Fighter frowned, but backed down. In the end, Uranus, Pluto, Venus, and Jupiter stayed behind. The rest had to go. Serena leaned against a tree and waited for the Powers to show up. Her family was still unconscious due to Pluto's memory wipe. 'You're quickening…what does that mean?' she thought.


	24. Act 23: Nasty Shocks

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty Three: Nasty Shocks**

**Serena: **This story is getting confusing and weird…

**Starlily11: **Trust me…I'm just using the element of suspense. I'll give explanations in due time.

**Serena: **What does 'Light-bringer' translate to in Latin?

**Starlily11: **You'll know by the end of this chapter.

**Location Unknown, Late Morning**

It was dark…and cold. Malos was unperturbed by that. He was used to it. However, the person he was about to see made him afraid. He, Malos the Destroyer, was afraid. But who wouldn't be? Every daemon feared the one he was to meet with. Anyone with a molecule of sense would. Malos shuddered as he remembered the fate of the last daemon who had displeased his master. He didn't want to end up like _that_. What was even more fearsome was what would happen should he fail in his mission. It would end badly for him. Why did he even need the girl, Malos wondered. The girl he'd fought today…it was clear who her father was. To him, anyway. Her power was incredibly strong, but her soul was pure. How was that possible?

"I trust you bring good news, Malos. Have you convinced her to join us?" The deep, velvety voice spoke from the shadows.

"N-not quite, my lord," Malos answered. "She is…quite stubborn. And her soul is pure…impossible to taint."

"Even the purest souls can be tarnished if you use the right methods. And if she is stubborn, break her will. Use any means necessary."

"You told me that I was not to do her any harm."

"I realize now that drastic measures must be taken. You are meant to destroy; I held you back because I believed we could persuade her. Now, I know that she must be broken."

"If her will is as strong as yours, that is a hopeless task," Malos muttered.

"What did you say?"

"I'll do what I can, sir."

"See that you do. Hound her, threaten her…do what you must. Otherwise, I shall never be able to fully escape and get my revenge. For that to happen, I must have my daughter on my side."

"Yes…I understand, Light-bringer."

"Say my true name. You know it."

"Lucifer."

"Go. We must not waste any more time."

"Of course." Malos turned and left.

**§†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†****Ѣ****†§**

**The Woods, Late Morning**

Serena ran through the battle in her mind, Malos' words playing over and over again in her head. The more she thought about it, the more it began to make sense. Her powers were growing stronger every day…she could feel her first destiny fast approaching. All hell was about to break loose…literally. She could feel it. All that was needed to truly unleash eternal torment on the world was her. She didn't know why. Then, she recalled what else Malos had said. What was 'Light bringer' in Latin? She thought on it for a moment. When the answer came to her, she turned pale, and felt ill. That couldn't be…but the facts were irrefutable. Arriane had told her that her father was called 'Light-bringer' in English…and translated into Latin, it was all too clear who he was.

Why had Queen Selenity reincarnated her into such a life? How had she come to be torn between two destinies? How could she truly make a difference for the good when her father was pure evil? These thoughts raced through her mind at a rapid pace, and she wondered what more would happen before this was over. She trembled to think of what the future would bring. One thing she could do; she could use her powers to fight this. She wouldn't help free Lucifer and bring Hell on Earth. She understood now the dark part of the prophecy, and why she was so powerful. It was true that Lucifer was the most powerful fallen angel, and that if she were persuaded to go to his side, she would unleash pain and suffering on the entire world, possibly beyond that. She wouldn't let that happen, no matter what.

It was all so plain to her now; why Malos hadn't done his usual damage. He was in league with the one who had sired her. Surely her mother hadn't known his identity…surely she wouldn't have gotten mixed up with him like that…no. There was no way she'd known. Her mother had promised not to lie to her again. Serena forced back the bile that was rising in her throat. Vomiting wouldn't help. What she needed to do was figure out how this mess had started, and nip the problem in the bud. She'd been scared of using any of the powers she possessed, but no more. It was time to put on her big girl pants and take care of this problem. She would use both sides of her power. She knew her angel powers worked, but did she know for sure if her powers as Sailor Moon and Serenity were useless now? No, she did not. It was time to see what she could really do.

'Yeah, yeah…way too much optimism,' a voice in her head sighed.

Serena paused. There was no way she could be thinking that.

'No, you're not thinking it. But I am.'

Oh, _crap_…now she had voices in her head? She'd gone crazy. The blonde sat down, trying to rationalize this. Amy had always told her to remain calm in freaky situations. She was more likely to get through them unscathed that way. She tried to follow that advice now.

'I'm not a result of schizophrenia. I'm another person who's been sharing your body for the past sixteen years. I just haven't been able to reveal myself until now.'

How the heck was that even possible? Serena was frantically trying to remember if anyone had ever told her that it was possible for two souls to exist in one body. She couldn't recall anyone ever mentioning that. It was highly possible that she'd simply gone mad; anyone in her situation would. But on the off chance that she was still sane, how could someone else exist in her body without her knowledge?

'That's an easy question to answer, really. I know that you're Serenity. Your soul was the dominant one, always in control. I was dormant, just waiting for my time. I'm the Nephilim part of you. I'm the reason you're able to use the flaming sword. We're two separate people sharing a body. Believe me, I doubt that Queen Selenity intended for that to happen.'

"How _did_ it happen?" Serena asked aloud softly.

'My guess is that it was a case of hitchhiking. While I was searching for a body, I decided to hitch a ride with you, and we both ended up in the same body.'

"So…I only have one destiny?"

'Yeah. Lucky you. You get to rule the world one day, and I get stuck in Hell.'

"It's your fault for invading my body."

'Excuse me? It's _our_ body. Basically, if my theory's right, you're not split between two destinies. You have one, and I have one. The problem is that we're sharing a body, and therefore, we're both stuck. You'll get sucked into Hell with me, and I'll be stuck ruling the world with you…if we ever get out of Hell. That would be weird. Seiya is technically kissing both of us…did you realize that?'

"Paws off, he's mine!"

'Geez, Louise! I'll keep my hands off.'

"I'm guessing you know who your…our…father is?"

'He's my father…you're reincarnated. I was just created sixteen years ago, whereas your soul's a lot older.'

"I'm starting to see where those bursts of intelligence came from…"

'Yeah, that was me.'

"So, if you're separate from me, do you have your own name?"

'Yeah. I picked it myself. It's Katherine.'

"We're in quite a situation, aren't we? We're sharing a body, but somehow, we need to find a way to separate. That is, if I'm not completely nuts."

'You're not. I told you that already. How do you propose we do that?'

"I don't know…"

'You do realize it looks like you're talking to yourself, right?'

"Yeah…"

'Stop. I don't want to end up in the loony bin. Listen, just think your responses. We're sharing a brain, too.'

This was insane…but Serena knew in her heart that she wasn't truly crazy. Still, it would be nice to know exactly what had caused this situation. It wasn't comfortable, knowing someone else was in your head besides you. How was she going to explain this? Maybe Saturn would be able to sense it…she was the Soldier of Death and Rebirth, after all. 'Hey, Katherine?' she thought.

'What?'

'You don't want to join Lucifer, do you?'

"Heck, no.'

'So we can work together? I'll use my powers, and you can use yours?'

'Yeah. For now, we're sharing abilities, but I think we'll start to slowly separate. I'll have to fight the Powers, and you get to deal with whatever the Scouts fight.'

'If that happens, we might actually split into two different people.'

'But we might be stuck sharing the same body.'

'And it'll look like I have that problem where people act one way one minute, and another way the next.'

'You mean multiple personality disorder? Yeah, that's how it might play out.'

'Katherine, this is going to be one crazy adventure.'

'No kidding.'

With that, Serena ended the conversation, and Katherine's voice was no longer in her head. She sank down against the tree, shaking her head. That had not just happened, she reasoned. But she knew it had. It was too crazy even for a lunatic. Sometimes, things happened in reality that went beyond one's wildest dreams. Overcome with shock, the blonde burst out laughing helplessly. She had someone else sharing a body with her, and she'd been reborn to Lucifer and Ilene Tsukino. If this hadn't happened, she might actually have had a normal life. But, nope…Fate was really messing with her. She knew that she must look like she'd lost her senses to those who were watching her, but she didn't care at the moment. She needed some time to get used to the shock. It was two nasty shocks in one day…she had a right to go temporarily insane.

**AN: **Wow…I am really pushing it…


	25. Act 24: The Beginning

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty Four: The Beginning**

Serena felt them before she heard them. The Powers had arrived. Or, more like Katherine did. Honestly, Serena wasn't sure which abilities were hers and which were Katherine's. Either way, the Powers were there, just icing on the cake to what was the definition of a terrible day. It was worse than terrible, actually…it was catastrophic. The blonde wished she could just close her eyes and open them again, and realize that none of this had ever happened. Unfortunately, this was her reality…hers and Katherine's. It was weird, having someone else inside your mind. Even weirder knowing that you shared a body with them. The blonde silently handed the reins to Katherine, taking a backseat for the time being. Katherine was the Nephilim…she was the one to fight this. Serena would only come out if Katherine asked her to. The blonde slipped away and watched as Katherine took control.

It was a strange feeling, surrendering control of your body to someone else, Serena mused. She felt like she was in a strange, mysterious, twilit world, in a state that was neither sleeping nor waking. It was unnerving and fascinating to watch as her hand moved without her command, knowing that it was not she who was in control. Even so, she knew that it was for the best…now that she was aware of Katherine's existence; chances were that the distance between them would only become greater as time passed. Katherine knew how to fight, and she didn't. This situation involved much fighting; therefore, Katherine needed control and no interference from her. The blonde let herself watch what was going on, but made no move to act on her own.

Katherine was relieved when Serena let her take control without so much as an attempt at an argument. The girl really was smarter than she let on, the Nephilim decided. But she was far too soft. That much Katherine knew for certain. She'd learned quite a bit from sharing a body with her for so long. Serena only employed violence as a last resort; she couldn't bear the idea of killing an innocent; she preferred to heal enemies' hearts rather than simply destroying her opponent. That drove Katherine crazy; especially when Chaos had made its appearance. She'd come very close to seizing control of the body she shared with Serena and doing it herself, but the gentler girl had come through and saved the galaxy. She just hoped Serena wouldn't decide to take matters into her own hands and stop her from killing the Powers.

The Nephilim was in control. Katherine formed the flaming sword in her hand and raised it. She and Serena had been merged these last two encounters. Now, they were beginning to separate. Katherine hadn't been allowed to show her full capabilities then. But now, she could actually do some fighting. Her gaze steely, she faced the Powers and asked icily, "You're really going to let the world burn while you hunt a Nephilim? You would let daemons walk the Earth?"

"That is not our concern," the leader replied haughtily.

"Whoa…someone misses her morning coffee. I guess you don't care that Malos is working with Lucifer to bring Hell on Earth…"

"What?" The four men who were beside the leader suddenly became nervous.

"Don't be foolish," the leader snapped. "She's just trying to trick us."

"My, I sound like quite the evil genius. But this is hardly a ploy to get you to leave me alone. If you had the smallest particle of sense, you'd know that I wasn't just messing around. Haven't you paid any attention? Mysterious deaths, increased tectonic activity, etc, etc, et-freaking-cetera? Sound familiar?"

"I don't think she's kidding, Aranel," one of the men said. "Everything she's said sounds right…we really should check it out?"

"Our mission is to hunt and kill Nephilim," Aranel stated.

"And your mission is out-dated. If you were to pull your head out of your ass long enough to see what's going on around you, you'd realize that the Creator decided that we Nephilim could actually do some good, and that most of us know that already."

"How can abominations do any good?"

"Wow…someone needs to do some remedial reading. Nephilim have the power to banish daemons for good."

"She has a point," another one of the men said.

"So you see, we've got a major daemon problem right now, and I can actually do something about it. How about you guys take a much-needed vacation, and I'll take care of the problem?"

"You mentioned Lucifer earlier; he has a hand in this?"

"Yeah. I'm not exactly sure what his main goal is, but I've heard the talk. It won't be pretty if he and Malos succeed in whatever they're planning."

"In that case, we shall have to stay alert." Aranel sighed. "Very well. We shall leave you alone, provided you do nothing that threatens the balance, and give you assistance if necessary." With those words, the Powers began to leave.

"Okay. Good bye."

'Way to go, Katherine!' Serena cheered silently.

Katherine smiled. 'You were good, too. I almost forgot you were there.'

'Hey, I'd rather not get us both incinerated. I wouldn't have known what to do.'

'You're smarter than you give yourself credit for.'

'People always say that. I just don't 'apply myself.''

"Serena, what exactly was all that?" Jupiter had revealed herself.

'Um, I have no idea how to handle those guys. You drive.' Katherine took Serena's place in the back of their mind, and Serena took the reins again. She answered, "I was just getting the Powers off my back."

"What about all that stuff about a master plan? Was that actual fact, or a pile of baloney?" Uranus was curious.

"That was actually the truth."

"You sure were gutsy, mouthing off like you did," Venus commented.

"Sometimes, you have to be a little obnoxious to get people to listen." 'We'll just pretend like everything's normal for now, like I'm not sharing a body,' Serena thought.

'Definitely a smart move,' Katherine conceded. 'They might try an exorcism or something, and that doesn't sound pleasant.'

'No kidding.' "So, ladies, it must be pretty boring to watch me do nothing. How are things on your end?"

"Pretty good, but we're a little worried about you," Venus answered. "We saw you talking to yourself earlier."

'Shit!' Katherine swore. Serena smiled. "Oh, I was just thinking out loud. It helps me put things in perspective sometimes."

The four seemed to relax at this explanation.

'Nice one,' Katherine commented. 'Of course, considering the way you can lie like a rug when you need to, I shouldn't be surprised.'

Serena was about to mentally reply when all of their communicators suddenly went off. They answered. It was Mercury.

"We have trouble; Malos is here, and he's destroyed three blocks already. We need all the back-up we can get."

'Let me handle this,' Katherine urged. 'I'll flatten him.'

'And you'll also kill my aunt,' Serena replied.

'Fine, I'll let you try to do it your way, but if it doesn't work, I'm taking over whether you like it or not!'

"We're coming," Uranus replied. The other three seconded this. Serena hesitated. She didn't want to hurt her aunt. She knew that somewhere, her aunt was still there. She just knew.

"Serena, I know this will be difficult, but we need your help," Pluto spoke softly.

Serena nodded, and transformed. Together, they raced to join their comrades. Sailor Moon prayed that no one she loved would get hurt. When they arrived, a fierce battle was raging, and everyone was battered. The blonde looked for Malos, while keeping an eye out for danger. Finally, she found her possessed aunt standing on a rooftop, laughing. She took the opportunity. Sailor Moon knew that Katherine was there; she could sense the girl's unease. "End of the line, Malos," the champion of love and justice said. "It's over."

"I recognize you, Serenity." Malos sneered.

Sailor Moon was taken aback. "What?"

"Yes, I know who you are. We've all heard of the champion of love and justice, and the Princess of the White Moon. But we didn't know you were sharing a body with a Nephilim."

'How the fuck does he _know_ that?' Katherine screeched.

"I can sense the angelic power inside you," Malos whispered. "You know who your father is; you will bend to his wishes eventually."

"Not bloody likely."

"You're rather stubborn; you get that from him. But no one's will is as strong as his. You will have no peace until you give in. He will break that will of yours, no matter what it takes."

"There is no force in this world that can bring me to the side of darkness."

Malos smirked. "Oh, really? You would not join him even to save the lives of those you love?" He looked down at her friends and love, who were fighting daemons beneath them. "Which one should I take first, hmm? The shy, quiet one…Mercury? Or the raven-haired beauty whom I nearly killed last time we met? You seem rather fond of that one…more than fond…" Malos' gaze was malicious. "You love her…I think she would do rather nicely…I wonder how long she'd last under eternal torment? Hours? Weeks, perhaps? Maybe months?"

Sailor Moon's heart jumped into her throat. "That's enough." She began to call up the powers of the Tier. Malos grabbed her by the throat.

"That won't work, my dear."

The hand around her neck began to squeeze. Sailor Moon began to choke, and Katherine began to start taking control. The hand suddenly released, and the blonde gasped, her chest aching from the sudden rush of air into her lungs. Malos was smiling.

"Yes…I think I know how to break you now," he murmured. "You may only be Serenity, but if your will is broken, the one I need will follow shortly." He was watching Fighter closely. Sailor Moon was practically sick with fear. She couldn't let him hurt Fighter…Fighter was too precious to lose, too dear…she was everything to her.

"You can save her, you know," Malos whispered.

Katherine was getting pissed; Sailor Moon could feel her fighting for control, but she wouldn't let her. Fighter was her business, not Katherine's. The blonde looked Malos in the eye and stated, "You will never touch her. Not while there is a breath left in my body." 'Okay, Katherine. You can do some damage. Until I figure out how to get rid of Malos, I need to make sure he doesn't hurt Fighter.'

'This is gonna be fun,' Katherine was itching for a fight. Sailor Moon disappeared, and Katherine was in control now, wings spread.

"What is she _doing_?" Maker exclaimed, seeing the sudden change of tactic. A battle had begun between Serena and Malos, and it looked like Serena was aiming to seriously maim if not kill. The sudden switch was enough to startle even Malos. Even the daemon's minions were looking up in confusion and bewilderment.

Katherine grinned. She was going to enjoy this. She wasn't going to kill, but she _was_ going to inflict some major injuries. She called up her flaming sword. The Nephilim struck as fast as a cobra, and managed to make a deep cut in her opponent's side. She could sense Serena's unease and fear, but the other girl made no move to stop her. Malos blocked her next strike, but that wasn't a problem. She had plenty more moves. She struck again, and made another hit. Malos was growling in frustration as his blows hit only empty air. Katherine was smirking, and made as many snide comments as she could think of. Serena watched carefully, making sure Katherine didn't go too far. Katherine struck again. Malos was now seriously injured, but it still wouldn't buy them enough time. Serena let Katherine make another hit.

'There, that's enough,' she said softly to the other girl.

'Fine.' Katherine made the sword disappear.

"I'll haunt your dreams until you die," Malos hissed, and plummeted towards the ground.

"Good luck with that," she sneered.

As Malos neared the ground, a blast came out of nowhere, taking out several buildings and destroying a few more blocks. Rubble was falling everywhere, and most of it was dangerously close to everyone Serena loved. Serena automatically seized control, but Katherine didn't fight her. She knew exactly what was going to happen. Sure enough, Serena pulled Fighter out of the way of the falling rubble, and got the others out of the way. As she did so, she saw Malos watching her, smiling cruelly. She let go of Fighter, and focused her attention on looking for survivors, but she still watched her with one eye. She wouldn't let Malos hurt her. The injuries she'd let Katherine inflict would only buy them a little time. She'd have to act quickly if she was to protect the one she loved above all others.

Pluto made a 'come here' gesture with her finger. Serena obeyed.

"Princess, what was that?"

"What was what?"

"That stunt you pulled. You could have killed your aunt, and I know how much you dislike that sort of thing. What got into you?"

"I never intended to kill anyone," Serena answered. "I was just buying us some time."

"What happened?"

"He threatened to hurt you guys, and I didn't know what else to do. So I tried to do some major damage, succeeded, and now we have a few days to figure something out." In reality, Serena was already forming a plan in her mind, but she knew no one would like it.

"Are you sure that was all?"

+I'll be waiting,+ Malos whispered in her mind. +But first, a little parting gift.+

Serena whirled around. Malos had returned and taken his true form again, and was heading straight for Fighter. The wounds hadn't been enough. Fighter's back was turned. Serena placed herself directly behind her and in front of Malos. The daemon reached out one terrible arm, and Serena transformed faster than what anyone could have believed was possible, shielding Fighter. By now, the dark-haired girl had realized what was about to go down. Sailor Moon launched an attack, just as Maker and Healer got the same idea, along with everyone else. More than ten attacks should have hit Malos, but he simply brushed them off, and sent them flying towards Sailor Moon. Fighter wrapped an arm around the girl's waist and managed to thrust her out of the way, giving Malos an opening. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, he was gone. And so was Fighter.

'Oh, no…' Katherine murmured. 'Please, no…' She had no connection with Fighter, but she could feel Serena's agony. She knew that Malos had done the one thing that could possibly break Serena's will completely. 'Serena, don't lose it. It won't help…you need to calm down and think this through rationally.'

'_**BE RATIONAL?**_ _**THAT'S YOUR ADVICE?**_' Serena's pain and anguish came out in that silent shriek of rage. Katherine cringed. She felt it when Serena sank down, could feel Serena fighting the tears. 'Malos is going to pay,' she whispered fiercely.

'Listen to me. We'll find out where he took her, and I'll kick his ass,' Katherine whispered. 'But first, you need to calm down and start thinking rationally. Otherwise, we're all screwed.'

'Fighter…' Serena had only spoken in her mind, but now, she was whispering her thoughts as well. "Fighter…damn you, Malos…oh, please, God, let me find her…" The pain in her heart was unbearable. She'd failed. She'd failed to save Fighter from a horrible fate. She couldn't forgive herself…if she had done something different…a single tear spilled out.

'Serena, let me drive for a while,' Katherine murmured. 'I'll hunt Malos, and you can sit back and grieve for a bit, calm yourself down, okay? I'll find her, and I'll get her out of there.' Katherine knew she would; she'd only been speaking to Serena for a day, but she already cared about the girl she shared a body with. She reminded Katherine of the good things in this world, even though it all seemed dark now.

'No. I need to do this myself.'

'You need to rest. You're drained and scared and going through heartbreak. I'm still able to function.'

'But this body is tired. I need to do this myself.'

Healer was practically homicidal. They all knew it wasn't Serena's fault; they'd seen her try to protect Fighter. Still, the silver-haired girl was screaming and raging, but anyone who knew her knew that she would be a crying wreck in another ten minutes. Maker was silent and pale, trying to come up with a plan to save her friend. Serena was on her knees, a blank look in her eyes. The blonde was clearly on the edge of losing it. The full impact hadn't set in yet, though. But when it did, it would be the most painful thing to witness anyone had ever seen. A single tear spilled from one eye, and she whispered something unintelligible, then went silent. The Inners and Outers were moving closer to her, waiting for the storm to break.

The tears increased, but the trademark wails didn't start. It was utterly silent. No sobs, no whispers, nothing. Only silent tears. The blonde's jaw tightened, and rage flared in her eyes, but quickly died down. Her hands curled into fists, and they all thought she was going to scream. But she never did. Instead, she let out a single, anguished moan that held all of the heartbreak and agony she was feeling. Then, she was silent, and the light in her eyes went out. The soft, gentle glow that had always surrounded her went out.


	26. Act 25: Rising Darkness

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty Five: Rising Darkness**

**AN: **Sorry I'm taking forever…I'm dealing with a case of writer's block, and I'm pressed for time.

An hour later, they had all returned to their usual meeting spot; Rae's temple. Serena was still in a catatonic state, and responded to nothing. Sometimes, Amara even checked to make sure the blonde was still actually breathing. Her vital signs were normal, but there was nothing to indicate that Serena was even vaguely aware of what was going on around her. They'd tried everything they could think of short of physical force; they might actually be looking at brain damage, and no one really wanted to explain to Serena's mom exactly how her daughter had ended up as a vegetable. All they could do was wait; and pray that Malos didn't kill Fighter before they got there. Healer and Maker had both tried to find her, with no luck.

"Why are we just standing around?" Healer demanded. "We ought to just hunt Malos down ourselves and quit wasting time!"

"We can't just leave Serena; Malos might take her, too," Venus replied.

"Malos managed to take Fighter from right under our noses," Healer muttered bitterly. "If he really wants to take her, he'll her."

"Not helping, Healer," Maker murmured quietly.

"I'm serious. We were all there; we should have been able to do something!"

"None of us saw it coming."

"Still…"

The argument continued.

€**§†****§†****§†****§†**

Meanwhile, Serena sat in a secret, sacred part of her mind. It had been formed from her thoughts and wishes, and was the only place where she could truly be at peace. It took the shape of a woodsy clearing, with silvery waterfalls flowing in the distance. Sweet-scented flowers grew in abundance, as well as tall, healthy trees that shielded her from the bright light of the sun. The grass was softer than the finest velvet, and when the soft breeze blew through the trees, one could almost hear soft, comforting whispers. This was how Serena managed to stay happy and carefree despite her battles. This place was what helped her retain that ability and hope.

Now, however, the blonde was in the midst of an argument with Katherine. One would think that, since the two shared a body, they would look alike. Not so. Certainly, they both had blonde hair and blue eyes, but the differences were glaring. Katherine's hair was shoulder length, and her bangs had an irritating tendency to fall in her eyes at the worst of times. Her eyes were a darker blue than Serena's, and held a certain hardness that never appeared in Serena. Furthermore, she was slightly taller, and her attitude and carriage indicated that she would cut her knuckle on someone's teeth if they so much as looked at her wrong. Serena was the opposite. Her hair was actually a slightly darker blonde than Katherine's, and was styled in the usual way, trailing just past her ankles. Her eyes were a matchless cerulean blue, shining with a pure, warm light. Everything about her was gentle and fragile looking.

"Serena, let me drive," Katherine demanded. "I'll find Fighter, kick Malos' arse so far up into his skull it'll take centuries for him to put himself right again, and then our problem's solved."

"But it might get her killed," Serena argued. "And my aunt is still there somewhere. I don't want to kill anyone."

"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not you, you're not me. _I_'_ll_ be doing the killing."

"Yes, but no one knows that but us and Malos. Besides, if you do that, I'll never forgive you."

Katherine sighed. "Can you at least pull out of this funk you're in? We're catatonic on the outside, and I bet some of your friends are ready to punch your lights out."

"Let them. God knows I deserve it."

"Why on earth would you think that?"

"I practically killed Fighter; I should never have told the truth; I should have just left, and all of this would have been nipped in the bud. Instead, I let everyone get involved, and basically signed Fighter's death warrant."

"Whoa, now! Malos is just tough, that's all. Come on, Sere, where's the girl who convinced Nehelenia that she didn't have to be alone and miserable? Where's the girl who showed the Dark Moon Clan a better way to live? Are you really going to give up because of one little bump in the road?"

Serena sniffed. "Katherine, how would we find Malos?"

"Easy; we catch one if his minions and beat the shit out of him till we get the answer. Then, we burst in and save the damsel in distress and ride off on a white horse into the sunset."

"Fighter's hardly a damsel in distress. She's tougher than me…and stronger."

"Whatever. The point is, we'll get her back."

"Okay. Um…how do I get out of here?"

Katherine let out a stream of blistering language that, if it had been audible to any outsiders, would have ensured that Serena was still getting her mouth scrubbed out with soap a year later.

€**§†¥§†¥§†¥§†¥§€**

Fighter opened her eyes slowly, letting out a faint groan as she came to. Why couldn't she move? Her mind raced as she tried to remember what had happened and where she was. Her location was unfamiliar to her, she decided as she looked around. She was chained to a wall…suddenly, she recalled what had happened. There had been a battle; Malos had attacked. Her Odango had been in danger…and now she was the daemon's prisoner. At least he'd taken her instead of Serena…wait. Did she know that? Serena could be dead or lying in a ditch somewhere, bleeding and scared…and alone. 'Whoa, there, Fighter,' her mind chided. 'The others wouldn't allow that.' The thought gave her a minimal measure of comfort. Uranus had been there; everyone had. They wouldn't have let Malos hurt her.

"Good; you're finally awake. I was starting to think I might have caused some actual damage." Malos' voice was like nails on a chalkboard, and Fighter felt an intense surge of loathing towards the daemon. On the outside, it appeared to simply be Serena's aunt, but Fighter knew better.

"Well, aren't you going to speak?" Malos was annoyed by Fighter's silence, so Fighter opted to continue being quiet. "You know, you aren't going to be much fun."

'Fuck you, Malos,' Fighter thought. She remained stubbornly silent.

"Nothing? Hmm…that won't continue for very long. I've been given free reign, you see. You think you can remain silent forever? Think again, girl. The last sound to pass from your lips will be a plea for mercy." Malos advanced, and the blade that had been concealed was now revealed. It looked deadly, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what was about to happen.

Fighter bit down slightly on her tongue. She knew she wouldn't die just yet. First, Malos would inflict as much pain as possible, and try to reduce her to tears and begging for mercy. Well, he would be disappointed. She wouldn't give in, and she would find a way to get out. Or someone would come. Her comrades and love would never abandon her. She kept her face coldly defiant as Malos advanced on her. The cold blade was laid against the flesh near her neck, and moved downwards, doing nothing. He was messing with her, trying to get her to make some sound before the actual pain started. Fighter suppressed a shudder, and tried to remain calm.

The blade suddenly sliced into the flesh of her abdomen. It was only a shallow cut, but it burned like the flames of Hell itself. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she forced them down. Malos made the cut even deeper. Fighter felt her whole body tense up, felt the blood trickling from the wound. She pressed her lips tightly together, and made no sound. The fire that had started with the first strike was now spreading through her body. Malos inflicted another cut, and Fighter clenched her hands into fists, sweat rolling off her forehead.

"So stubborn…but I can see you faltering." Malos' voice was amused. "But don't worry, my dear. The pain your girlfriend will feel when she accepts her destiny will be much worse. Do you want to know what will happen to her once she enters Hell to fulfill her destiny? I'll tell you. She will enter a trap. Her father is waiting for her, you see. He's been waiting a long time. He will get her to unleash Hell on Earth. She herself is a portal for him…and once she is forced to open herself, she will slowly disintegrate into ash, and the last thing she will hear are the dying screams of humanity. It will happen very slowly…she'll slowly burn out, literally be burned alive. It will only take about fifteen minutes, but it will feel like an eternity. And then, of course, her soul will suffer that same pain for all eternity."

Despite the pain she was in, Fighter manage to spit directly into Malos' face. "No force in the universe will let that happen," she hissed. "No one is going to let that happen to her."

"The only one whose vote matters is that of her father," Malos said dismissively. "She will let Lucifer go free, and he will honor his daughter's sacrifice."

Fighter choked. Lucifer was Serena's father? How could that be? She was the opposite of everything her sire represented! She was pure and innocent…how…? No…she wouldn't let it happen. It didn't matter who sired her…Serena was nothing like him. Nobody would let Serena die like that. All she had to do was hold on, and seize an opportunity to escape…she had to warn Serena about this…she couldn't let her die…she began to struggle and try to free herself from the chains that bound her.

"Ah, ah, ah…none of that." Malos struck her across the face, and the burning sensation grew almost impossible to bear.

'Oh, stars…please, protect her…' Fighter silently prayed. 'Don't let her die…'

€**§†****§†****§†****§†****§†**

Serena finally found the exit. "I found it," she breathed in relief.

"It's about time," Katherine snapped. The Nephilim was itching for some action, and she wanted to get a move on. In her view, they'd wasted enough time. Now was the time to act. She was through waiting. "What are you waiting for? Open the damn door and let's get a move on!" The girl tapped her foot impatiently.

"Chill." Serena opened the door, and the girls exited. It was time for some action. Serena prayed silently that Fighter would still be alive when they found her. Malos could be nasty. The two raced through the passages of her mind, and headed to the control center. Katherine immediately took the driver's seat, and Serena sat back and let her have full control.

Healer was in the middle of a shouting match with Uranus when Serena came around. The blonde made no sound or any move to indicate she was functioning. Serena and Katherine had decided that no one needed to see the one they believed to be Serena play ugly; it would raise too many questions, and they would travel faster if they just left on their own. Now, how to leave? The back door…but they would have to move fast. Well…Katherine would, anyway. Everyone's attention was on the potential brawlers.

'I hope they don't actually come to blows,' Serena fretted inside the mind she shared with Katherine.

'The others won't let it get too bad;' Katherine declared confidently. 'Let's go!'

Quietly, Katherine slipped away in their body, and no one noticed that the catatonic girl was catatonic no longer.

It was surprising how easily they got their hands on a minion. Serena resolved never to get on Katherine's bad side; the girl had pounced immediately, with the deadly skill of a tigress on the hunt. The monster had immediately begun whimpering about how it didn't do anything. Serena knew she wasn't going to like this; Katherine wasn't going to be nice. The delicate blonde tried not to pay too much attention to what was going on. Katherine focused all her attention on her victim. She glared down at the monster. "Talk," she ordered tersely.

"I swear, I don't know anything!"

"Of course not," Katherine replied silkily. "But I don't believe you." She dug her fingernails into the monster's face. The creature let out a pained whimper. Katherine's eyes narrowed. "Shut up," she hissed. "Now, you're in a talk or bleed situation. Tell me where that son-of-a-bitch Malos is, and I won't kill you." She dug in harder with her nails. "Next denial, I'll scratch out your eyes."

'Katherine!' Serena whispered.

'Just doing what's necessary.'

"He-he's in a cave nearby," the monster whimpered.

Katherine relaxed a bit. "Oh? Which one?"

"I-I don't r-r-remember."

Katherine smiled sweetly. "In that case…" She lifted the creature and pressed it against a wall. "You're dead, my friend."

"Okay, okay! He's in that…oh, I remember! It's-it's that one Friesner's Cave!"

"See, now. That wasn't so bad." Katherine summoned the flaming sword in her possession. "But you're still screwed." The monster didn't even have time to scream before he was reduced to ashes.

Katherine spread her wings wide and flew to the cave.

**¥Ѣ****Ѣ****Ѣ****Ѣ**

'I'm going to die here,' Fighter thought. The pain was killing her. She still hadn't screamed, but Malos had done plenty of damage. Fighter felt like she'd been thrust into the very flames of Hell. There wasn't one part of her body that wasn't weary and suffering pain. 'Oh, Odango, I never meant to leave you like this!' The raven-haired girl had long since lost all hope of escape. Even now, she could hear Malos' gloating laugh. Once he was through with her, he would show her lifeless body to Serena, as a sign of his great power. That would break her. So Malos thought. Fighter was certain that as long as Serena had the others, she wouldn't give in.

The raven-haired beauty closed her eyes from weariness, and to stop seeing the sight of her own blood surrounding her. She was so tired…she could feel the strength leaving her. The end was so close…did she have any regrets? Yes…she wished she'd been able to tell her Odango that she loved her one last time. She wished she hadn't played so many pranks on Healer and Maker. She wished she'd tried just a little harder to be civil towards the Outers. Well, at least _they_ would be able to protect that brightest of lights and keep it from going out.

Malos' voice suddenly sounded amused. "Well, I must say, Serenity, I am impressed. I never imagined you'd find me. Still, you're too late to save her."

Fighter opened her eyes. Serena was standing in front of Malos, her eyes cold and dark with sheer loathing. When she saw Fighter, her eyes softened briefly, but hardened once more as she turned her attention back to Malos. "Odango," the dark-haired girl whispered.

"Let her go, Malos," Serena growled. "I killed one of your minions, and if you don't release her, I'll only be too happy to kill you, too."

What? Fighter was suddenly sadly confused. Odango shouldn't be issuing death threats…

"But of course, my dear. Simply accept your father's will, and I will gladly let her go."

"I hold no love for my father. He deserves to stay in Hell."

"Very well. Then you can watch while I kill her." Malos moved towards Fighter, but Serena blocked him. Her flaming sword rested against the daemon's throat. Malos was trapped.

"You wouldn't kill you aunt, would you?"

"Of course not."

Katherine let Serena take control, and this time, she was ready so quickly that Malos didn't have time to attack. The gentler blonde focused all of her efforts on releasing her aunt. And she felt it begin to work. She pressed her advantage. Malos screamed in rage as he was thrust out of his host. But as he, a mere shadow, flew out, he heard his master's voice in his head.

+I grow tired of your incompetence, Malos. But you may make yourself useful to me still. I see now that my daughter is much too stubborn. I must forcefully separate her from Serenity's influence. Do you see the knife I am showing you? Take it, and plunge it into her chest. My daughter will not die, but she and Serenity will slowly separate. Eventually, the Moon Princess will be forced out.+

Malos took it, and made his last move. Serena's aunt was unconscious, and the girl was kneeling over Fighter. She didn't see the threat. She was too busy looking in horror at Fighter's injuries. The girl was covered in cuts and bruises, and she was on the verge of death. The raven-haired beauty looked up at her with a sad, loving tenderness. "Odango…" she murmured. She softly stroked the blonde's face. Tears shone in her gorgeous cerulean eyes. It was too painful to see. She started to avert her eyes, when she saw Malos over her love's shoulder, knife raised. "Odango!" she cried. But it was too late.

The knife came down just as Serena turned, alerted by the alarm in Fighter's eyes. It plunged into her chest, and Serena let out a sharp cry of pain. The knife disintegrated, and Malos disappeared. The blonde doubled over. Fighter let out an anguished moan. She was going to die, and so was her Odango.

"Serena." Someone else was with them.

Fighter turned her head. It was Arriane.

"Your mother sent me after you. That knife didn't kill you. I'm not sure what it was meant for, but it wasn't made to kill. Come on; let's get your aunt and your friend out of here."

Serena straightened, looked at Fighter worriedly, and nodded. "She's really hurt, Arriane."

"I'll help her. You take your aunt."

The blonde nodded. Arriane knelt beside Fighter. The fallen angel's gentle, probing fingers examined the wounds. "You're one tough girl," she commented. "I don't know many people who could hold on this long. You sit tight. I'll have you back to yourself in no time."

Fighter relaxed. The haze in her mind was nearly overpowering…she needed to rest…everything went dark. Her last conscious thought was, 'Odango, don't leave me…'

Meanwhile, in his dark abode, Lucifer smiled. "Soon," he whispered. "Soon I will be free. Serenity is no longer a threat, and my daughter will have no motivation to defy me any longer."


	27. Act 26: Separating

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty Six: Separating**

**AN: **Finally…I'm writing again. I've been on vacation for a while, and before that, I had writer's block.

About ten minutes after Serena and Katherine made their ninja-like exit, Pluto happened to glance over to where she assumed her Princess was still sitting in a catatonic state. The sky soldier felt a surge of fear rise in her. People in catatonic states didn't just get up and walk away. Or at least, they weren't supposed to. She tried to remain calm. Maybe Serena had pulled herself together and gone out to get some air. Or Malos had grabbed her from right under their noses. Something told Pluto that something bad had happened, but she tried to breathe deeply and stay calm. If she hyperventilated, she would faint, and then she wouldn't be able to work out this whole business. She turned her gaze to Uranus and Healer, who were still arguing, and she cleared her throat loudly. Everyone turned.

"As interesting as your argument is, I'm afraid we must put it aside," she stated calmly. "We have more important matters to attend to. Shouting will not bring Sailor Star Fighter back, nor will it help us to locate our Princess, who appears to have vanished into thin air."

Uranus, thinking that Pluto was just trying to break it up, rolled her eyes and said, "Serena's catatonic, Pluto. She hasn't…" she stopped. She'd been gesturing at the now vacated chair to prove her point, and so had looked over there. As Pluto had said, Serena wasn't there. "Where's Serena?"

"She isn't there," Venus was alarmed.

"Maybe she just snapped out of it and went for some air," Jupiter suggested hopefully.

Mars went out and looked around. Five minutes later, she returned. "She's not here." The fire soldier was beginning to look scared.

"What? How'd that happen? She was catatonic; it's not like she just got up and walked away!" Healer was mere steps away from what could easily be described as a meltdown.

Mercury spoke up. "Even Malos has a certain aura of negativity. We would have felt it if he were involved. It seems far-fetched, but it's the only logical explanation. Perhaps Serena came out of it and went to go find Fighter."

"She could get herself killed!" Uranus worried.

"You don't give her enough credit," Maker informed her. "That girl's quite a bit tougher than she looks. She's managed to hold up under quite a bit of pressure."

"Yeah, but her fighting skills are kind of lousy…I mean, she's apparently good with a gun or a flaming sword, but still…" Jupiter was worried.

"She probably hasn't gotten too far; we should be able to find her," Mercury reasoned.

"Let's go," Venus urged.

They all split into groups and began the longest search of all time.

€**Ѣ****§†****Ѣ****§†****Ѣ****§†****Ѣ****§†****Ѣ**

Serena sat in silence, staring into the fire that blazed in the fireplace. She was in Arriane's apartment, silently praying that Fighter hadn't suffered any permanent damage. The wounds that had been inflicted on her…the blonde shivered, even though she was warm. Katherine had taken the backseat for now, leaving her to her thoughts. Arriane was softly murmuring the incantations that would heal Fighter. Serena found that she could understand none of it. She and Katherine were separating. All she knew was that it was the tongue of angels. It had to be. A strange coldness was seeping into her bones. It shouldn't have considering that she sat in front of a blazing fire. She felt numb, and a sense of fatigue and pure exhaustion filled her. She jerked herself into wakefulness. She had to know that Fighter would be okay first.

Arriane's murmuring ceased, and Serena turned. Fighter's wounds were completely healed, but they wouldn't know the emotional and psychological damage until she awoke. Serena moved to the raven-haired girl's side. Tenderly, she stroked her face, her touch as light and gentle as a soft, warm breeze. Fighter murmured her name and stirred slightly. Serena felt tears sting her eyes. How could Fighter still love her? It was her fault that Malos had hurt her. Arriane touched her shoulder. "She's strong…she'll be all right," the Fallen whispered.

"She wouldn't be here if I hadn't dragged her into it," Serena murmured wretchedly. All of the strength she'd had while helping Katherine fight Malos and healing her aunt was gone. Speaking of Aunt Lisa…she turned her eyes to her aunt. There was no telling what kind of damage Malos had done. She was always hurting the people she loved…

"It isn't your fault," Arriane told her. "She chose to protect you. It was her choice."

Serena sniffed, and nodded. She was feeling so weak…

"You just rest. Your mother will have my head when she gets here and sees that I haven't made you lie down."

"Mom's coming?"

"She called. She was worried about you. It seems you disappeared. Lie down and go to sleep. I'll wake you if there's any change."

Reluctantly, the blonde obeyed. Arriane directed her to the sofa, and tucked a blanket around her. Why was she so tired? She closed her eyes, which burned from tiredness, and sank into a dark, dreamless, deep sleep.

€**Ѣ****†§****Ѣ****†§****Ѣ****†§****Ѣ****†§****Ѣ€**

Malos knelt before his master, trembling. He knew he'd failed miserably; his plan had completely backfired. And his master had no tolerance for failure. And the fact that he'd been thrown out of his host and back into Hell by a burst of power from Princess Serenity II of the White Moon Kingdom was doubly damning. He would be wiped from existence, unless, of course, Lucifer showed some mercy. That was about as likely as it was to snow in July. He didn't dare look up at his master and beg for mercy. That was the best way to get himself obliterated.

"I am not pleased, Malos. Not only have you failed miserably at bringing my daughter to our side; you have also been thrown out of your host by a weak glow of power from Serenity. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't destroy you."

"I failed, my lord. That much is true. But I managed to do as you asked with the knife you ordered me to use on Serenity."

"True enough…but this one success does little to outweigh all of your failures."

"I know."

"You are but a worm. You know nothing." Malos shuddered as his master revealed a black diamond. It was the end. The jewel was pressed to the daemon's forehead, and he screamed as he slowly burned to ashes.

Lucifer smiled. 'Ah, but I feel you weakening, Serenity. Soon, you will not be able to keep my daughter from me.'

†**Ѣ****Ѣ****Ѣ****Ѣ****Ѣ****§†**

Katherine awoke to the quiet sounds of conversation. Serena's…their…mother had arrived, along with Sammy, Adel, and Luna. She glanced over to where Fighter lay. Serena's love was still unconscious. However, Lisa was awake. Sammy was messing with his PlayStation Portable, and Adel was looking around with an air of childish bewilderment. Lisa, Arriane, and Ilene were locked in what appeared to be a major conversation. The Nephilim felt like something was off, but she couldn't put her finger on it. The three women's tones were hushed…that was normal, but it was eerily quiet. Katherine jerked fully awake as she realized she couldn't feel or sense Serena anywhere in the mind and body they shared. It was like she'd disappeared.

'Serena?' she called silently.

There was no answer.

'Serena?' Katherine was alarmed now. What had happened? With horror, she recalled the knife they'd been stabbed with. It had disappeared when it struck…oh, no…Katherine began to realize exactly what the intent had been. Malos had been trying to make her vulnerable, and force her to join her father and bring Hell on Earth. She had to get Serena back. But how? For the first time in her life, Katherine felt true panic. She didn't know what to do; she had no idea how to act around Serena's friends, and it just seemed wrong to just take over her life. Besides that, the Scouts were just too perceptive. They'd realize something was off in an instant.

Katherine tried to breathe. She couldn't panic. That was a sign of weakness, and she couldn't afford to be weak right now. Maybe Serena had just slipped away. If that was true, maybe she could call her back. How, though? The Nephilim frantically racked her brain…their brain…for a plan. Ah…she had it. 'Serena, I just slept with Fighter, and she gave birth to a singing Pterodactyl.' It was ridiculous, but Katherine felt a brief flicker of Serena's presence. She continued. 'I also released Chaos, and Nehelenia's evil again. She wants Darien back.'

'Katherine, what the hell are you talking about?' Serena's tone was groggy.

'Thank God. I thought you'd disappeared on me.'

Serena's tone was tired. 'Katherine, can you drive today? I'm tired…'

'What's wrong?'

'I don't know…I just feel weak and tired…I don't want to stay awake anymore…'

'Serena, listen. I have no idea how to handle your friends. Snap out of it. You need to handle this. I fight, you smooth ruffled feathers and make peace.'

'I'm sorry…' Serena's presence started to fade.

'Oh, no, you don't!' Katherine mentally pinched Serena as hard as her mental capacity could allow.

'OUCH! What was that for?'

"Don't abandon me.'

'Oh…was I going to do that?' Serena was confused.

'Just yawn and stretch or something…' Katherine took the backseat, forcing Serena to the front. She wondered how they could stop the separation. If something wasn't done quickly, Serena would be gone for good. That could make things unbelievably awkward. She couldn't let it happen. If only she knew exactly what was going on…

Ilene saw that her daughter was awake. She rushed over. "Oh, honey…I was so worried. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Mom," Serena replied tiredly. Why was Katherine being so mean? She wanted to sleep…

"Are you sure? Arriane told me about what happened to your friend…and how you saved your aunt."

"I'm fine. Really. I just hope she doesn't end up like…" Serena trailed off. That memory was still too painful for her to voice.

"She won't. Arriane told me that there was no trace of Malos' influence. Whatever you did…you were thorough. I guess your powers are stronger than anyone realized."

"I guess." 'Actually, I used my powers as Sailor Moon, and my friend is actually Seiya. But you don't need to know that,' Serena thought.

Just then, Fighter made a faint sound and stirred. Serena immediately turned her attention to the unconscious raven-haired girl. She hoped that she'd gotten to her in time…she wouldn't be able to forgive herself if Malos had done permanent damage. The blonde bit her lower lip at the thought to keep it from trembling. All weakness and thoughts of just lying back and letting Katherine live her life were gone now. What on Earth had caused her to even consider abandoning Fighter? What had come over her? Fighter's eyes opened, and Serena was there in an instant. Ilene gave them some space and made sure the others left them alone; she knew Serena would want some time alone with her friend. 'So strange,' she thought. 'That girl looks a lot like Seiya…could they be related? I don't remember hearing Seiya mention that he had a sister…'

As soon as they were alone, Serena whispered, "I shouldn't have dragged you into this…"

Fighter studied the face of the girl who held her heart. The blonde's face was pale, tired and wretched. "You didn't drag me into it. Listen…I need you to. Malos said that when you went to fulfill your destiny, your father would force you to open the portal to Hell. You'll die." Fighter could still hear Malos' words echoing in her head. She couldn't bear the thought of seeing that beautiful shine die. She also bit back the information regarding the identity of the blonde's father. That would be devastating.

"So that's the plan…" Serena murmured. "Go figure. I can't say I'm surprised."

"What do you mean?"

Serena hesitated, then made sure no one was listening in. "My father is Lucifer, Fighter. He's the reason I'm stronger than any other Nephilim…and the reason I have the power to either open or seal Hell."

"So you know…" Fighter searched her love's face. It was unreadable.

"Yeah. I figured it out. How'd you…" Serena's eyes darkened. "Malos…of course." She softened. "Now tell me…how bad does it hurt? I know Arriane healed you, but I know you're still sore."

"I'm fine, Odango. Malos did some damage, but I'll be okay. You got stabbed in the chest…did Arriane heal you, too?"

"She didn't need to. The knife wasn't made to kill me. It disintegrated as soon as it hit me."

"What did it do?"

"Nothing."

Fighter wasn't so sure about that. That sounded too lucky. That blade wasn't made to kill…but it still had a purpose. But what? She examined her blonde angel closely. She had poor color, and certainly wasn't looking her best, but it seemed to be coming from stress more than anything. Still, Fighter felt a sense of foreboding, a feeling that whatever that knife was meant to do, it was a great threat to her Odango. "I think you should have Arriane check out what it did. It might be harmless, but I still don't want anything to happen to you." The very thought of losing the girl she loved was enough to form a lump in her throat.

Serena could hear the faintest wavering of Fighter's voice, and realized how worried the dark-haired girl was. She relented. "Okay. If it'll make you feel better, I'll get it checked out."

†**§†**

A day passed, and Healer was ready to blow a gasket. Her best friend was missing, and the one person who could possibly help them find her was missing, too! It was infuriating, and Healer when she was worried and frustrated was impossible to deal with. Finally, the phone rang. Maker, thankful to get away from Healer for a short time, answered it. She nearly choked when she heard Fighter's voice on the other end. Even so, she couldn't exactly hide the relief in her voice. By some miracle, her friend had been saved.

"Sorry it took so long…I was pretty wiped out. I know everyone's worried sick, so I'll just explain what's going on. Malos got me, but Serena managed to get me out of there. We're both fine, and we'll be back soon."

"Where are you?"

"I'm at Arriane's place with Serena…you know, the one who healed Serena's injuries that one time?"

Maker was suddenly wary. "Does she know…?"

"No. Serena's good at bending the truth and stretching facts. As far as anyone knows, I'm a friend of hers who looks a lot like Seiya. Apparently, I'm my own cousin."

"When will you be back?"

"Well, we're both getting a little restless, so we should be back tomorrow."

The rest of the conversation was fairly dull, and ended quickly. In the end, though, the news calmed Healer down, much to everyone's relief, and it helped the morale of the entire group. Sure enough, the next day, Serena and Seiya arrived. Seiya seemed like his usual self, cocky, arrogant, and completely devoted to Serena. Serena seemed a little quieter than usual, but no one thought much of it. After all, she'd almost lost the love of her life; she was probably just trying to move on. The blonde was also a little pale, but then, she mentioned she hadn't really slept much.

When they were alone, Seiya asked, "Did you have Arriane check you out?"

"Yeah. She said I was fine." Serena wasn't lying; she had asked Arriane to check everything. The fallen angel had done so, and said that she was all right, but to let her know if she felt like something was off.

"So you'll be okay?"

"As far as anyone knows."

Seiya was relieved, but still worried. "Odango, promise me that if you feel weird or sick or something, you tell someone. I don't want to lose you."

"It'll be okay, Seiya. Don't worry."

"That's like telling water not to be wet."

"Okay, I promise."

"And if I find out that you're hiding it, I won't be happy."

"I get it, Seiya. I'll be good." Serena felt bad. She was hiding something. She felt strangely lethargic, and withdrawn, like everything around her was a dream. She wasn't sleepy, nor was she hungry. It was like her senses were dulled. She felt lost and out of touch with reality. Surely that was just relief, though…but she hadn't eaten breakfast. She'd pretended to, but she'd really been quietly making the food disappear with a little help from the Silver Crystal and moving it around her plate. Surely a diminished appetite for a little bit wasn't something to worry about…

'Bogus. You're lying through your teeth,' Katherine snapped in their mind.

'Honestly, Katherine. People sometimes just aren't hungry.'

'But that's never been you. How long are you going to try and hide the fact that you're never hungry? I know you skipped dinner last night. I ate, but you didn't want to. You took a backseat.'

'I was tired.'

'That's what you've been saying ever since Malos stabbed us. When Arriane asked you some questions, you flat-out lied. That knife was bad news, and you're not helping it.'

'It didn't even really leave a mark. It just hurt. Why should I worry?'

'You're going to fade out if you keep this up. That knife is separating us. Soon, we'll be two opposite personalities sharing a body, and it will be _very hard_ to keep up the pretense that it's just you in this body. And then, _you_ could disappear altogether.'

'You're overreacting, Katherine.'

'Am I?'

'Just leave me alone…'

'Fine! I don't care if you disappear and fade from existence!' Katherine's presence faded into the background. Serena was surprised by the outburst. She wondered if it was possible that Katherine was right.


	28. Act 27: Fading

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty Seven: Fading**

**Serena: **Seriously…this story gets crazier by the minute. What's up?

**Starlily11: **Just be quiet.

During the following days, Serena began to realize that something was seriously wrong. She felt tired and detached all the time, and her appetite had gone down frighteningly quickly. She did her best to hide it from her aunt and her mom. They had enough to worry about, what with taking care of Adel and putting up new protective wards around their new residence. The blonde forced herself to eat, even though some days she woke up and felt nauseous at the very mention of food. She knew she ought to say something about it, but she was, quite honestly, afraid of the answer. But she also knew she should keep her promise to Seiya. She could sense Katherine's fear, and the Nephilim urged her several times a day to seek help.

Finally, the blonde went to Arriane. She didn't want to tell Trista, and definitely not Amara. They hovered enough as it was. If she told any of the other Sailor Scouts, they would blab, and she would never have a moment's peace. She didn't want to be coddled; she wanted to find out what was wrong and get to the bottom of it. She told no one where she was going, and successfully evaded Luna's questions. Hopefully, she would be able to honestly say she was fine when she got back. When she reached Arriane's residence, she knocked. The fallen angel answered almost immediately. When she saw Serena, she seemed surprised.

"Serena. Well, this is a surprise. Come in."

Serena obeyed, and clasped her hands in a vise-like grip to keep them from trembling. She failed. Once in, she sat down.

Arriane noticed the blonde girl's pallor, and she examined her closely. She couldn't keep her face completely calm once she noticed something odd. The girl's soul looked like it was mere days away from leaving her body. Strangely, though, there seemed to be another soul there to take its place. The other wasn't forcing one out; there was a darkness between the two lights that was forcing them apart. To an angel, a person's soul was like a bright light, but it grew darker as the purity left them. The light being forced out was one of the purest souls she'd ever seen. The one that was anchored was a bright light, but it was a mere flicker compared to the one being forced out.

"Two souls…" Arriane murmured.

"Yeah…Arriane, I know this sounds crazy, but I guess you can see it. I don't know what to do."

"First, you can tell me what you think is going on, and then I'll see if I can help."

"You promise you won't call the men in the white coats to take me away?"

"Of course."

"Okay…here goes…well, for starters, I know that there's another person sharing a body with me, and we argue all the time. Her name's Katherine, and she's the one who's a Nephilim. I'm just Serena. Ever since I got stabbed, we've been separating and growing apart. We used to be merged, but we were aware that we were separate people after a while. But it was only awareness. Soon, we'll be completely separated, and that will make trouble. I think I'm being forced out…I feel…weak, and I'm never hungry. Neither of us have slept in days. The last time we slept, I slipped away for a minute…as in out of my…our…body."

"You're right. One of you is being forced out. And it's some seriously dark power. I didn't see it last time. Lucifer wants his daughter to release him badly. It appears that he feels that you are somehow keeping Katherine from him. He sees you as an obstacle and is trying to eliminate you."

"And he's succeeding. I don't know if I can hold on. Arriane, what can I do?"

"It isn't hopeless yet. You can fight this for a time. Katherine's time is drawing near; if you can hold on until then, I think I can find a way to reverse it."

"How do I fight it?"

"Hold on to what's dear to you. Think about the people you love, keep them close to your heart. That will help."

Serena thought for a moment. When she was with Seiya, the numb feelings _did_ lessen. Maybe Arriane was right. "Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome. Remember, love is what shields you."

Serena nodded, and left the apartment. As she walked back, she thought about her friends and Seiya, about her mother, Aunt Lisa, and Adel. She kept them close to her heart, and she felt less like slipping away. When she got back, her mom asked her where she'd been. The blonde replied that she'd just taken a walk. Luna raised an eyebrow, and Serena flashed a genuine smile. "I'm fine, Luna. In fact, I feel pretty darn good." 'As long as I know where my heart is, I can stay. Arriane will find a way to fix this, and no one will ever know there was a problem in the first place,' Serena thought.

'Uh, yeah. What if that backfires?' Katherine inquired.

'You're so pessimistic, Katherine. Show some optimism for a change.'

'Every time you think along these lines, something always happens that makes the plan go up in smoke. It's hard to be optimistic considering that type of history.'

'If it gets too bad, I'll say something. But for now, I'm going to go find Seiya and initiate a make-out session.'

'You'll forgive me if I slip away for that.'

'Of course. Otherwise, he'd be kissing two girls at the same time.'

'This whole arrangement is insanely creepy.'

'I know.'

Serena did indeed find Seiya, and the couple most certainly did find a nice, private, quiet spot in which to engage in French kissing and groping. However, it was cut short when Amara and Michelle barged in and caught them. The Outers had accepted the Starlights, but they still weren't too keen on their Princess making out with anyone, let alone someone they had only just begun to even tolerate. Seiya and Serena both had blushed for the longest time. By the time they managed to escape, it was almost dinnertime. Serena was forced to pull away, and sighed as she did so. The numb feeling of detachment started up again. She fought it.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. School started, and the forced separation grew harder to fight. Serena struggled, and some days she woke up feeling unbelievably depressed. Some days were good, some days were bad. The whole situation was a lot like fighting some sort of cancer, Serena mused silently. Except that it couldn't be fought with radiation and chemotherapy. This type of cancer wasn't physical…it was emotional and spiritual. Serena forced herself to smile, even when she wanted to just lie down and surrender. But she never did. She had too many people she loved, too many people she had no desire to hurt in such a way. And so it was an eternal, unending battle that no one could see. Katherine sometimes tried to help, by letting Serena take a backseat and taking care of the homework load. The girl had enough to deal with without bad grades. So the blonde's perpetually bad grades took a turn for the better, but it was still difficult.

Eventually, though, things started to show. It got to the point where Serena would sometimes just stop eating, and she would spend whole nights tossing and turning, battling the dark force that assaulted from the inside. The light in the girl's eyes dimmed visibly, and her fair skin sometimes took on a sickly pallor. Her weight would fluctuate. She'd always been slender, but she started losing a scary amount of pounds, but then gain them back. At first, it was assumed that her poor color could be attributed to stress, but then came the days when Serena would just lie in her room not doing anything…just stare at the ceiling with a hollow look in her eyes. She didn't speak at all; she was completely silent. She wouldn't answer the phone or speak to Luna…it was like she simply wasn't there.

After a while, Seiya had had enough. He'd tried to remain calm and optimistic, but he was starting to fear for Serena's life. He could see her slipping away, and he couldn't understand why. It was killing him, watching her fight some inner battle. Mercifully, there was no evidence of self-harm, but somehow, this was worse than the last time something similar had occurred, when Ken Tsukino had forced Serena to keep his adultery a secret. This time, Serena was literally wasting away, even though she tried to hide it. Luna couldn't figure out what it was, and it seemed that Serena was blocking the Time Gate. Something was seriously wrong.

Seiya couldn't take it anymore. He entered the blonde's room and stayed there, waiting for her to acknowledge that he was in the room. After he observed her, he realized that her mind was elsewhere. This scared him worse than anything else. He knelt beside her and touched her hand. He could feel her light fading out. "Odango," he whispered. His hand trembled slightly, and his voice broke. "Tell me what's wrong, please. Don't leave me like this." Tears stung his eyes, and he contained them, but for one. That single tear escaped, trailing down his cheek.

Serena lay on her bed, dazed. How long could she fight this dark thing inside her? It gained a little more ground every day. And every day, a little more of her resistance was worn away. She knew she was hurting Seiya, but the numb, cold, dead feeling was overpowering her. Her strength was almost completely gone. She'd tried to handle it, but she just couldn't hold on anymore. Sudden warmth on her hand shook her out of her enforced state of apathy. Vaguely, she heard Seiya's voice, tender and caressing. But there was something new in it; what was it called? Oh, yes…sorrow. Seiya shouldn't be sad. The blonde pulled herself all the way back into reality. Seiya was trying not to cry, but a single tear had escaped. That made her realize how bad this was; how deeply she was buried in this whole mess.

She put her other hand over his trembling one. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

Another tear escaped Seiya's control. "Odango, why? Why are you leaving me?"

"I can't fight it anymore, Seiya," she whispered. "I just can't…I've fought so hard, but this thing inside me…it's so strong…"

Seiya whispered, "You promised me you'd tell someone about this." His tone held a trace of growing wrath.

"I did…and she told me to keep the people I love close to my heart. I've done that, but there's nothing else I can do…"

"Who did you talk to about this?"

"Arriane."

"Isn't there something else?" Seiya asked pleadingly.

"Not that anyone knows of. I've tried…"

"If you would stop blocking Trista from the Time Gate, she could find something."

"I'm _not_ blocking Trista from the Time Gate."

"You aren't? How…" Seiya paused. He had an idea. "_Lucifer_," he hissed. "That's the only explanation. He wants you to release him so bad that he's willing to kill you to get what he wants." His eyes softened as he looked down at Serena. "We'll find a way to save you," he promised. "I won't let you die."

**Review, people. I need reviews to fee my imagination. Right now, my imagination is about to die of starvation.**


	29. Act 28: Dark Dream and a Decision

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty Eight: Dark Dream…and a Decision**

**Serena: **Okay…it's official. I have no idea what this crazy authoress is up to.

**Katherine: **I do…(shudders)

**Serena: **Tell me!

**Katherine: **You don't wanna know.

Serena wondered exactly how she was going to explain the whole thing with Katherine to everyone else. It was a crazy story, but it was also true. But still…how could she tell them the full truth without them calling the men in the white coats? She knew she had to say something to Seiya…he looked so worried and sad. She needed to come up with a truthful but believable explanation. The truth was a little too weird…even for the Sailor Scouts. Besides, they might try to exorcise Katherine or something, like she was an evil spirit. Katherine wasn't evil…she just had some serious daddy issues and happened to be sharing a body with her. But how could she convince them of that? She'd managed to evade Seiya's questions because her mom had intervened, but Luna was another story. The cat gave her no peace.

"Serena, tell me what's going on…please!" Luna pleaded. "You're killing yourself…"

"Believe me…it's not something I can really control. I can only fight it."

"You starve yourself and you never sleep…what's wrong?"

"I'll explain at some point…just not now." Serena tuned out Luna and dozed off, taking Katherine into sleep with her. Both were utterly exhausted. The girls' consciousness' merged, and they shared one of the worst nightmares either of them had ever experienced.

_It was dark…and hot. Flames burned all around her, but did nothing to illuminate the darkness. Worse, there was a palpable feeling of despair, hopelessness, and agony that you breathed in each time you took a breath. The worst part, though, were the screams of the tortured souls that sounded in the distance. Both blondes shied from the horror of it, sickened by the sounds and sights. It was difficult to breathe, and the girls coughed, trying to flush their lungs of the toxin that threatened to utterly destroy them. Serena let out a faint whimper. Katherine shuddered. Even she was unnerved and frightened by this place. Neither of them wanted to say where they were, but they knew…it was Hell._

"_I see you're still holding on, Serenity. You're stronger than I thought." Lucifer spoke from the shadows, but revealed himself quickly. He was a terrible sight. No longer an angel, but a terrible creature. It was impossible to describe how terrible the sight was…but it sent waves of terror through both girls. Both resisted the urge to scream._

_Lucifer advanced. "Come to me, my daughter."_

_For once, both were in agreement. "Not bloody likely," they hissed._

"_Serenity, it is far better for you to let go than to hold on like you've been doing. Give in to the urge to close your eyes and let yourself separate entirely from my daughter."_

"_Why? I'll die no matter what happens. Besides, I don't take orders from you. I barely behave for my own mother. Why on earth would I listen to you?"_

"_It would be so much easier on you, though…no more pain and overwhelming despair…"_

"_Yeah, and when I find you, I'll kick your ass," Katherine snarled._

"_Serenity is a bad influence on you, my daughter. Love and justice mean nothing in the long run. Those never last. But power does, if you're willing to fight to keep it."_

"_You're wrong!" Serena burst out._

"_No kidding," Katherine agreed with her._

_Suddenly, the two were pinned against a wall by the Prince of Darkness himself, both hands wrapped around their neck. "I've tried to be reasonable," he hissed. "I've tried to use the gentler methods. I had no desire to bruise you or cause you harm, but you had to make this difficult. Serenity, you are a greater thought than I realized. Katherine, you have been led astray by this little twit. Yes, dear, I know your name. I am your father, after all. It seems I will have to cut you into shape myself, daughter. Serenity, I shall come for you, and I will personally reduce you to little more than a flickering presence."_

"_How are you gonna do that if you're stuck in Hell, dumbass?" Katherine taunted._

"_There are…loopholes. Tomorrow night is a new moon, when the barriers holding me back grow moth-wing thin. It is so with every new moon. For there is no light in the sky, and evil runs rampant on those nights. I have gathered enough strength to break free. By the time the night is over, Katherine, that will of yours will be utterly shattered. Serenity, you will suffer a loneliness and pain that you have never before experienced…and it will last for all eternity."_

_Why did that have the ring of truth to it? Both felt chilled, and frightened. Lucifer disappeared, laughing softly. Katherine trembled, and so did Serena. It was so hot, but inside, the girls felt cold as ice. Fear rushed through their veins, and the terrible scene around them began to fade into dark oblivion…it slowly crept over them, threatening to consume everything…_

Serena awoke with a sound halfway between a gasp and a scream. Luna awoke, and looked at the blonde. The girl was pale and wide-eyed with terror, and shook like a leaf. The cat padded up and rubbed against her, purring in an effort to calm her. Serena lightly scratched her behind the ears, staring out the window. 'Why do I have a feeling this won't end well?' she thought. 'Why do I feel like Lucifer will make good on his threat?' The blonde breathed deeply, trying to calm herself.

'We'll have to stay alert,' Katherine declared.

'Agreed. Should I tell the others?'

'No…I have this feeling…'

'Me, too. I don't want them to get in any deeper in this mess.'

'I think…I think it's up to me now. You're fading out like mad, and you can't use the Silver Crystal without dying.'

'But I think Lucifer's going to kill me anyway.'

'No…you're immortal, or at least, your soul is. But to be safe, when he splits us—he will—run. You'll be a spirit, but Arriane will be able to help. It's better that way. I'll fight him, and I'll win. Hopefully, I can still thwart Fate. When I get back, I'll find you and bring you back…I don't know how, but I will.'

'But what about Seiya…my friends, Luna, Mom…my family? I don't want them to suffer and worry…'

"You know what you need to do.'

Serena knew what Katherine was getting at. 'I don't know how.'

'You do…all you need to do is focus, and will your power to do what you need it to do.'

'Are you sure that will work?'

'I hope so…'

Serena sighed, and Luna looked up at her. "_Mrow?"_

"It's all right, Luna," Serena whispered. 'Oh, God…please let this work,' she prayed.

The rest of the night passed quietly, but the dreams were still immensely troubling. They were dark, and it was a struggle for both girls to think about the following day. The pain Serena felt at what she had to do was dreadful, but she knew it was for the best. 'In the words of Christina Rossetti… 'Better by far for you to forget and smile than that you should remember and be sad',' Serena thought. 'Please forgive me, Seiya…'


	30. Act 29: Parting

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Twenty Nine: Parting**

**AN: **This sequel is gonna need a sequel. Otherwise, one story will be the size of a Danielle Steele novel and the other will be the size of the seventh Harry Potter book. I really don't like major differences in size unless it happens gradually.

Serena got up the next morning feeling a dull ache in her heart. Did she really need to do what she was about to do? Did she really need to betray her friends and love by erasing their memories? What was the point, besides to save them from the horrors of the battle that was about to begin? They'd been through so much already…they could help her. But she knew that the plan she was forming would horrify them, and they'd never let her carry it out. She'd been up late, blocking even Katherine as she formed a plan that threatened to almost break the rules of the universe. It was incredibly risky, but if she was successful, Katherine would be spared a horrible fate, and the world would still be safe.

It was a mad plan, but it was also the only option the Princess of the White Moon could see. Her friends wouldn't approve; and she didn't want them to grieve for her if the plan backfired and went disastrously wrong. However, if it worked, they would remember her in time. Oh, they'd be ready to throttle her, but at least they would all be safe from Lucifer. Tonight, his attention would be completely focused on her. If all went well, this whole mess would end tonight. Still, tears formed in her eyes as she thought about what she was about to do. She was frightened and felt more alone than she'd ever felt before. She wanted to turn her back on all of this and stop fighting, flee from this battle and into the safety of Seiya's arms. But she couldn't. Katherine was facing eternal damnation, and Serena's conscience would not allow her to let that happen, but she also didn't want to play with her friends' memories.

Alas, it was necessary. Her plan was so dangerous and risky to herself that no one in their right mind would let her do it. But why couldn't she simply not tell them about it? Because they would sense that she was about to do something dangerous and go after her in order to protect her. But considering what was going to go down tonight, that was out of the question. Fighter had already suffered at the hands of one daemon; she wouldn't sentence all of them to Hell. If they came, there was a 90% chance that they could get caught in the power rush as the gate to Hell opened and closed. If that happened…they could get sucked in and become permanently trapped there.

The blonde walked to school and went through the whole day thinking about what she was about to do. It was torture, but she still managed genuine smiles and laughter, because she had hope. Hope for the future. That, and she knew that this could be the last time she saw them for a long time. She wanted to enjoy it while it lasted. So she savored this day, pretending that it wasn't breaking her heart. She tried to control the emotional tempest in her heart, knowing Yaten would sense it. 'I hope I'm doing the right thing,' she thought.

At the end of the day, she was briefly left alone with Seiya. She could tell he was about to ask her what was wrong once again. Before he could do that, the blonde pressed her lips to his, and sent all of the love she had for him flowing through it. It wasn't wild and passionate, but gentle and tender, with a heartbreaking sense of finality. The kiss was so powerful that Seiya felt almost light-headed. He looked down at the girl who held his heart, wondering what was going on. She had never before kissed him in such a way. Her kisses had always been tender and loving, but this one was different. He was left with the feeling that he might well never see her again.

"Odango, what-?"

"I love you, Seiya," she said softly. From her lips, his name sounded like a prayer.

"I love you, too," he replied, wondering what had prompted this. He looked at her, and realized that her eyes were bright with unshed tears. One spilled out, and he softly brushed it away. "What is it?"

"It's nothing." Her voice was soft and reassuring. Tenderly, she caressed his face. Seiya, on impulse, pulled her into his arms.

Serena let his arms remain around her while she collected herself, savoring the touch. People had died for less than this. In ancient times, men had fought for a single kiss or touch. Duels had been fought for the honor of maidens. Many had died. At least she still had her memories. Finally, she managed to contain her tears and force them back. She slipped out of his embrace, and lovingly memorized his features.

"I have to go," she said softly. "My mom needs me."

"All right. Are sure you're all right?" Seiya's eyes were concerned.

"Definitely." She smiled sweetly and walked away.

Once she was alone, she called upon the Silver Crystal. It was time to start the plan. She didn't go all out; one spark would suit her purposes. Letting its power flow through her, she erased all memories of her existence from everyone's minds. They still remembered the past, but in a different way, without her presence. Everything had still happened, but as far as anyone was concerned, she'd never existed. Something else had stopped Galaxia and Nehelenia. Everything occurred without her intervention. She couldn't erase Katherine's memories; they shared a mind, after all. Still, that was necessary in order for her plan to work right.

All across town, the blonde faded from everyone's minds. Seiya paused as he went about his business, feeling like he'd forgotten something important, but for the life of him could not recall what. The feeling of loss was unsettling. Taiki furrowed his brow as he worked through an equation, wondering why he felt like he was missing something. Yaten scratched his head and tried to recall what he'd forgotten. Amy looked up from her reading material, feeling as though she had lost something dear to her. Rae ceased her chanting without knowing why. All she knew was that she felt like she was missing something dear to her, but didn't understand why. Mina and Lita ceased an animated discussion, and wondered what had interrupted them. Luna and Artemis felt like they'd missed a part of their mission, but could not remember what. Trista and Hotaru blinked in confusion as they felt something flee from their minds. They couldn't place what. Michelle hit a wrong note on the violin, and frowned, but not because of that. She felt like she'd forgotten someone dear to her, but could not remember who. Amara looked up at the sky as she heard the ghostly sound of feminine, infectious laughter. She shook her head, and all thoughts of that fled her mind. Even the feelings of loss and confusion faded, and the day went on.

Back in her hiding place, Serena moved on to the next phase. She cradled the Silver Crystal in her hands, and whispered her request to it. As Katherine realized at last what the girl was planning, she gasped. It was mad, but it could also work. But it was so dangerous…Katherine was worried. The Nephilim could only watch, though. Serenity was using every ounce of strength she still possessed to do what she had set out to do. As Katherine watched, a single, small piece broke off of the Silver Crystal. Serena murmured something unintelligible, it disappeared. Then, the rest of the Crystal returned to its rightful place. The plan was complete.

'You're taking a huge risk,' Katherine warned.

'I'm not hanging you out to dry, Katherine. Besides, I'll be okay. Ineffectual, but okay. The power of the Silver Crystal should enable you to get out once you lock up all the daemons. I kept only a small piece to keep me anchored. We'll separate, but both of us will survive. When you get out, my fragment of the Crystal will sense your presence, and the pieces will join. Then, we'll both be free, and able to go back to living our lives, only separately. We won't have to do a time-share deal.'

'It's a mad plan.'

'But it's the only plan we've got. Be strong, Kat. We can do this.'

'I hope you're right…'

**†§****Ѣ****†§****Ѣ****†§****Ѣ****†§****Ѣ****†**

Night came, and the air thickened and grew harsh and hot as Lucifer arrived. Katherine and Serena each took a deep breath and faced him. Both were defiant. All they could do was hope this plan worked. If it didn't, not only were _they_ toast, but the entire world was screwed, too. Possibly the entire universe, but they didn't want to think about that. Neither girl could afford to lose her nerve. Courage, fortitude, and love were the only things that could get them through this. Lucifer smiled cruelly as he regarded the two.

"You seem resigned, daughter. You as well, Serenity. Have you two finally realized that you can't win."

Both girls hid a smile, and remained sober on the outside. Lucifer had absolutely no clue what was coming. The plan was so crazy and inconceivable that he never dreamed they'd come up with it, let alone that they actually had the guts to try and carry it out. Katherine spoke as had been agreed. Serena was to be silent the entire time. That was crucial; it needed to look as though Katherine was rebelling and forcing Serenity into submission. That meant silence on the Moon Princess' end. "Yes, father. I have seen sense. I have forced Serenity to remain silent, and put her in her place. But she is only gathering her strength. I wish to be free of her."

"But of course. The Moon Princess _is_ a nuisance, isn't she? Fear not; I'll take care of her."

Serena prepared herself. Lucifer was going to split them, but she would have to move fast to avoid anything else he would inflict on her. She would have to endure the pain from the separation, but she would also have to avoid raising suspicion. Katherine was silent, but tried to discreetly remain supportive. She knew Serena would probably stick around for as long as she could. The girl wouldn't abandon her. After all, she was trying to save her from her fate. Still, she couldn't stay forever. She'd have to leave eventually, when the portal opened briefly. After all, for the daemons to go in, it had to open. The trick was to close it before it did too much damage.

Lucifer pulled a black blade from its sheath at his side. "This will hurt for a little while, Katherine, but it will free you from Serenity."

Katherine nodded, and prayed that Serena's plan would work.

Lucifer raised the blade, and plunged it into the girls' chest. It was like last time, but the effect was much stronger and happened instantly. Both screamed, but at the same time, Serena used her tiny but powerful fragment of the Crystal to remain bonded to life, even though she was now little more than a ghost. She was silent and unnoticed. Lucifer frowned briefly, but relaxed as Katherine staggered to her feet, clearly only herself now. She still resembled Serena, but that would change soon, if things continued to go well.

"Hmm…it seems I may have destroyed her," Lucifer said. "Ah, well…at least she is gone."

"Indeed," Katherine replied with a smile. She knew Serena was still there, but she was the only one. The blonde was in her Princess form, watching. That was how she would look until this was over. So far, so good. The Silver Crystal was working. Lucifer was blind to love, and that was what shielded Serena. "Now, I will open the gate."

Lucifer's face held pure delight. "Do you see now how easy it is? You could have saved yourself so much pain and trouble."

"I was foolish, and Serenity didn't help matters." 'Please, let this work,' Katherine prayed. Here came the tricky part. In her ghostly whisper, Serena seconded that.

"Go ahead, my dear."

'Here goes,' Katherine thought. If this worked, the body she was currently in would be destroyed, but she would be reborn from the ashes. Serena watched anxiously. 'Go, Serena,' Katherine thought to her.

"I'm afraid to leave you."

'If you don't go now, you'll get sucked in.'

Serena's eyes were teary, but she couldn't cry. She was disconcertingly transparent, and her form was little more than mist and faint light. "Okay. Goodbye, and remember; be strong. I'm with you in your heart."

'I know.'

Serena dissolved into the misty night, and Katherine called upon her angelic powers. It was up to her now.


	31. Act 30: The Brightest Light

**The Darkest Secret**

**Act Thirty: The Brightest Light**

**AN: **Okay, this is almost over…but there'll be a sequel to the sequel to tie up loose ends.

Katherine called upon the angelic powers she possessed. This was what it all came down to. All she could do now give it her best. She just hoped that this plan would work. She knew that her powers were working as she felt a surge of dark power rise. The gates of Hell were opening. In a few more minutes, all sorts of unspeakable creatures would emerge. Then, she would have to close it again, and seal everything back into its original place. It was a gamble with extremely high stakes; if this plan failed, the world would quickly be lost. If it succeeded, though, it would be a much better place. This gamble was a necessary one.

Black flames rose, and Katherine knew she would be burned. But she had to have faith. Serena had promised that she would not be destroyed. She had to trust her. The dark fire rose and licked her ankles. The burning was painful, but Katherine chose to ignore it and focus on the task at hand. She couldn't lose her focus. The gates continued to open, and before long, terrible monsters emerged, and began wreaking havoc. All across town, portals opened wider, and soon terror and fear reigned. The black flames rose up to Katherine's chest, and the girl cried out in pain. Even so, she forced herself to continue.

Finally, Hell was completely opened, and everything in that dreadful realm spilled onto Earth. Katherine screamed in agony as the fire consumed her. She was going to die…darkness began to cloud her mind, but a bright light called her back. It was the power of the Silver Crystal that called her, reminding her of what she still had to do. She reached for that warm, soft glow, recalling her mission and forgetting the pain. She couldn't let the world down. She too, was now a spirit, but her body was restoring itself as the flames died down. It was time to end this.

**§¥†****Ѣ****¥†****Ѣ****¥†****Ѣ****¥†****Ѣ**

"Where the hell did all these monsters come from?" Healer yelled as she dodged a blow from one particularly nasty-looking creature.

"I don't know," Fighter panted. "They came out of nowhere, from one of those portals!" She looked around. It was a battlefield. The Powers had made and appearance, but the presence of five or six angels did little. For every monster that got struck down, two more took its place. She ducked as one baddie took a swing, and found herself surrounded. "Damn!" she cursed. She was screwed. A blast sounded, and two were dust. Her savior was Uranus. The sky soldier was a mess.

"How the flying fuck did it get this bad?" Uranus wondered aloud.

"I don't know," Mars gasped as she kicked a Minotaur-like beast in the stomach. "It's like all Hell broke loose!"

"That's exactly what's happened!" Aranel shouted from several yards away. "The prophecy has come true. The Nephilim of the prophecy has opened the gates to Hell and unleashed it on Earth."

"So we're screwed?" Healer yelled.

"Pretty much. The only thing that can save us now is a miracle."

"Great…we're all gonna die," Uranus wiped her brow and stabbed another monster with the Space Sword.

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Lucifer's mouth fell open in shock as he witnessed his daughter burn and then reform as the flames died. He hadn't planned for this. How had this happened? There was no way…this whole scenario completely defied all the natural laws of the universe. It wasn't possible! But yet, it was happening right before his eyes. But something was different about the girl. Her hair was shorter now, and lighter by approximately two shades, and she seemed to have gotten taller. What had happened to cause his plan to change so drastically?

Katherine locked eyes with him. It was time to close the gates again. "Go to Hell," she hissed. "And stay there!" Her body began to shine with a blinding white light, and Lucifer finally realized that he'd been fooled. Somehow, Serenity and his daughter had foiled him. He lunged, but was thrown back by the power of the light. A vortex formed, and began to suck everything that had been released back in. The fire damage and wounds on the Earth healed themselves, and monsters and daemons screeched as they were banished once again. Soon, only Lucifer remained, and he, too, was beginning to fade out.

"How?" was all he could think to ask.

"I may be your daughter, you bastard, but I'm nothing like you!"

Lucifer smirked. "You'll be severely punished, daughter, once we are sealed in."

"Don't count on it!" Katherine's light began to fade, and Lucifer was forcefully pulled back into his dark, terror-inducing domain. The last to go was Katherine. She clung to the large portion of the Silver Crystal that Serena had given to her, and knew that she would be all right. The plan had succeeded. Earth was safe. That was why, even as she was pulled into that terrible realm, she kept a smile on her face.

Serena breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the gates to Hell slam shut. Her plan had been successful. But she was still alone for now. There was no telling how long Katherine would take to return. And her friends and loved ones no longer knew of her existence. The blonde felt the familiar lump in her throat, but could shed no tears. She was only mist and pieces of faint light now….little more than a specter that would wander the Earth. She couldn't even weep. She couldn't feel heat or freezing chills, nor the grass beneath her feet. She could only see and hear. She could smell nothing, taste nothing. But the Earth was safe. And in the end, that was what mattered.

"Be strong, my friend," she murmured. "As long as you trust in me and the Crystal, you will make it out. For I have left you with the brightest light in the galaxy."


	32. Epilogue: Wandering

**The Darkest Secret**

**Epilogue: Wandering**

**AN: **Quit screaming, guys. Again, there will be a sequel to the sequel. I'm just trying to break this story down into reasonably sized pieces. Otherwise, it would be the size of 'Gone With The Wind' by Margaret Mitchell.

It was dawn. A new day. None of the Scouts nor the angels could believe it. The terrors of the night were over. Somehow, it was all over. Fighter turned her eyes to the sunrise. It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. Or was it? Briefly, a scarcely remembered flash of golden hair and shining eyes formed in her mind, but quickly faded. Why did she have a feeling that she was missing something? The raven haired girl was bewildered and confused. She glanced at the others. None of them seemed bothered. She put the thought out of her mind, and tried not to feel troubled.

"Can you believe it?" Maker asked. "We're alive."

"Yeah. I guess miracles happen. I don't know exactly what went down last night, but I'm glad that it's over."

"You'll understand in time," Aranel said softly, her eyes fixed on the shining sky. "You cannot close something that is already closed. Hell was closed, but there were cracks through which evil could slip. The gates had to be opened again in order to seal that realm in again." She knew she should tell them everything, but it was not her place. The Scouts' memories of what was really going on would return on their own.

"I guess that makes sense; but wasn't there a way to do it without all the chaos?" Mercury asked.

"Unfortunately, no. But it is over now. Hell is sealed tightly once again. And this time, for good."

"Thank goodness," Pluto sighed."

"Can we go home now?" Venus asked. "I'm beat."

"We'll all go," Mars decided. "It was a rough night."

"Agreed. Let's go," Mercury replied.

The warriors made their exit, and Aranel smiled. She didn't understand mortals, but she could understand why the Creator liked them. They were fascinating, really. Just when you thought you had them figured out, they still somehow surprised you. She turned to a transparent, barely visible form that stood watching the Scouts go with an air of wistfulness. "Well done, Serenity of the White Moon. Your plan was sheer madness, but you and Katherine have done well."

"I was only doing what I felt was right. I just…" the young specter paused, and tears that couldn't be shed formed once again in her eyes. She sniffed, and began again. "I only hope that Katherine will be able to rejoin me soon. I don't know what I shall do now. Wander, I guess."

Aranel looked at her with compassion. "Have faith, young one. I was wary of you at first, but you have proved that Nephilim can do some good. Because of you, Katherine was able to defy her heritage, and is free to choose her destiny. She will return, and you will be able to return to where you belong."

"I know you'll probably be busy, but if anything comes up, will you help them if they need it?"

"I will."

"Thank you."  
>"You're welcome. Do not lose hope, Princess Serenity. You will be able to return home someday."<p>

Serena nodded, and faded into the light of the rising sun. Aranel and her comrades took flight and rejoined their fellow angels. Serena watched them go, a sad smile on her face. She was truly alone now. She turned, and walked a little ways into a glade that had been one of her favorite places while she had still possessed actual form. She had meant what she said. It was a time of wandering for her now. No one but the angels and Katherine remembered her. Therefore, there was no point in remaining here. There was nothing left for her. Besides, if…when…Katherine returned, she would feel it, and be able to find the Nephilim. But for now, she had nothing and no one.

Seiya's face flashed through her mind, and the blonde spirit's face contorted into a look of pain. He was so far beyond her reach now. He didn't remember her, and she couldn't even touch him or feel his touch. Tearless sobs racked her body. Had she done right, erasing memories of herself from everyone's minds? Surely she'd done right; they'd been spared the grief of believing she was dead, and the anxiety about her disappearance. But it caused unbearable pain in her heart. She would give anything to return to Seiya's loving arms, if only for one small moment in time. The girl forced herself to stop crying, and wandered even further into the woods. That was all she could do now.

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Katherine cursed softly as she wandered invisibly through the numerous levels of Hell. God, it would take her centuries to get out of this place! Serena was counting on her. If she didn't come back, Serena would basically be stuck wandering the world as a ghost or a specter for who-knew-how-long. The girl was thankful for the protection the Silver Crystal gave her. If only it could point her to the way out! This was so frustrating it made her want to scream. The young Nephilim wandered past yet another tortured soul, and grimaced at the horrors of this place. She wanted to get out of here.

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Trista sipped her evening tea, lost in thought. Something nagged her in the back of her mind. She had this feeling that she had somehow forgotten something very important on her list of duties as a Sailor Scout. Buried memories were begging to resurface, but nothing she did could help her recall any of them. She knew Amara felt the same; the temperamental woman had mentioned feeling like something was off. It wasn't just her. Hotaru had mentioned it, too, and so had Michelle. What had they all forgotten?

Seiya walked alone in the late hours of the evening, trying to put his finger on whatever he'd forgotten. He had this nagging feeling that he'd forgotten something. A place in his heart felt empty as well, like he'd lost a part of himself that could not be regained. But what was it? The noir-haired boy racked his brains for any indications as to what he was missing. But the lost memory could not be recalled. Somewhere in the depths of his mind, he vaguely remembered the sound of feminine, infectious laughter, and a glimmer of a radiant smile. But he could not remember a face or a name. He wandered the town for hours, but could not remember what he'd forgotten.

Luna listened to Mina's chatter, but only half-heartedly. Her mind was wandering, truth be told. She felt a sense that something was missing. Memories shrouded in mist taunted her, but they would not be recalled. No matter how much she pondered it, she could not get rid of the feeling that she was missing something extremely important. She was frustrated about that; why couldn't she recall something that felt so important? There was peace, and all was well, but why did this feel so wrong? The cat sighed and curled into a ball. Why wouldn't this nagging feeling go away?

**THE END**


End file.
